Echoes Of A Nearby Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story
by iKnowLotsOfThings
Summary: A Sequel to 'A Shooting Star Falls' In the wake of Gravity Falls' biggest tragedy, a broken Officer Wendy Corduroy tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered life by making a drastic change. Dipper struggles to adjust to life without his sister Mabel and girlfriend Pacifica; turning to an old friend for guidance. Rated M for Alcohol & Language.
1. Chapter 1

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter One

Authors note: I wanted to follow up on "Five Years Later: A Shooting Star Falls" as I felt my last chapter of that left a lot of story to be told. This picks up after the events of the final chapter. As for Wendy's look, think of Haley Williams' look in the Paramore video 'Ignorance'.

It was mid-summer in the small town of Gravity Falls Oregon. The season had started with such promise, as the area's favorite twins arrived for yet another summer full of mystery and fun. Sadly, only two days into their latest visit, tragedy had struck. The aftermath of the event left an emotional scar on the town that it may very well never fully heal from. Especially hard hit by the catastrophe were Wendy Corduroy and Dipper Pines. Wendy, the town's only police officer at the time had seen two of her good friends that she considered little sisters, as well as a former lover, pass away from the needless violence. The guilt of not being able to prevent their deaths weighed heavy on the auburn haired woman's mind and had driven her to the brink of suicide. Only a last minute intervention by the spirits of Mabel Pines and Pacifica Northwest had prevented the distraught young woman from succeeding.

In the days following the tragedy, Wendy had watched the Pines family gather to lay to rest the shooting star of the family. The perky teen girl had been buried, along with the innocence of the town the redhead had lived in all her life. Mabel's parents arrived the day after her death, followed by her Great Uncles a few days later. While it was understandable that the family would be devastated by the loss of the young brunette girl, her twin brother had withdrawn from life altogether. The teen boy had kept to himself in the days following the horrific event and hadn't said more than a few words. On the day of Mabel's funeral, the brown haired teenager had managed to pull himself out of his room in the Mystery Shack. While his body was present, his mind was not. It resided far away from the grave of his sister; in summers gone by and days that would never come to pass.

Pacifica Northwest's funeral had all of the extravagance that the wealthy family had become well known for. Dipper and Wendy were sure that Pacifica hated every bit of it. The small northern Oregon town had practically come to a standstill on the day of the blonde heiress' internment. In the following days, the wealthy family had tried to keep up appearances of normalcy. Behind closed doors, however, Preston and Priscilla Northwest grieved for their fallen daughter. For all of the evil deeds the family had committed over the centuries, including attempting to sell out the town to a trans-dimensional dream demon, the loss of their only child had seemed a bit cruel of fate to bestow upon the family.

Two weeks after the incident, life had almost returned to normal in Gravity Falls. The townsfolk returned to their everyday activities, albeit with a bit of a heavy heart. Chief of Police Blubs had returned as soon as he had gotten word of the incident in his town. Along with Deputy Durland, the pair of officers had placed Wendy Corduroy on indefinite leave, citing mental duress and emotional damage. Aside from attending the funerals of her two good friends and Robbie, the auburn haired woman had retreated to her second story apartment above a small shop in downtown Gravity Falls. The redhead began her day by waking up in the early afternoon, when a few beams of light had finally managed to penetrate the otherwise dark dwelling. The young woman had lost the will to put any effort into anything she did. Her once clean and orderly apartment had become disheveled, littered with beer cans and pizza boxes.

Wendy had made her way to the kitchen, where the redhead opened her refrigerator and removed the last remaining can of alcohol that had remained inside. The young woman was dressed in a pair of green flannel sleep pants and a black tank top. She sat down on her black leather sofa and cracked open the cool aluminum can that rest in her hand. Her mind drifted off to thoughts of her friends Mabel and Pacifica. "I should have been the one to die…" the redhead said to herself, piercing the silence of the apartment. She took a swig from the can as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I know you said that I have to be tough and hang in there… but I don't think I can Mabel… I don't think I can…" the young woman said as the tears had breached her eyelids and began their cascade down her freckled cheeks. The doubt that surrounded Wendy was something she was unable to process. All of her life she had been raised to be tough and to believe in herself. Now, she wasn't sure if she wanted to live.

Finishing the can with a big gulp, the young woman rose to her feet. "Fuck. I guess I'll have to go get some more booze… great" she lamented to herself as she threw the can across the room in a fit of frustration. The underage woman sent a text to Nate, who was her hook up for the one thing that been able to numb her pain. The redhead dreaded leaving her apartment lately. The last time she had appeared in public was to grab a bite to eat last week and she could feel all the eyes that were staring at her. The people had said things to one another in a hushed tone, trying to keep the redhead from hearing their judgmental opinions of her. The young woman had overheard one woman telling her daughter that she 'did nothing to save those poor girls' and that 'she should turn in her badge'. Another person had said that she didn't take down the shooter soon enough because 'she was fucking him' and that 'she was probably in on it'.

The words hurt her more than any bullet ever could. The bruises from the rounds that had hit her bullet-proof vest had begun to fade and the graze wound to her head was healing. The auburn haired woman got up from the couch and headed to her bedroom to try and find a suitable outfit for her excursion out into the world. Wendy shed her sleep pants and tank top to reveal her thin frame. Walking over to her dresser, the young woman selected a pair of black skinny jeans from the drawer. The pants had reminded her of Robbie, which brought a feeling of sadness and anger to her mind. Opening another drawer in the cabinet, the redhead selected a grey V-neck t-shirt and pulled it on over her red hair.

Wendy walked to her bathroom and flipped on the light switch, revealing her messy red mane. She reached for a hairbrush that resided on the counter of her sink and ran it through her auburn hair. After fighting with the knots that had accumulated for the past few days, she put on some black eyeliner and eye shadow. Pleased that her look was acceptable enough to go out in public, she grabbed her small leather purse and headed out to meet Nate. She walked down the stairs and to the front door of the apartment, sitting on the bottom step to throw on her black and white high top sneakers. Her palm was drenched in sweat as she placed it on the cold brass knob and turned it, casting daylight onto the young woman. Stepping outside of the doorframe, she noticed how nice the day was. The temperature was neither cool nor warm, but rather almost perfect. A few puffy clouds decorated the petty blue sky that hung above her head. Locking the door, the auburn haired woman headed down the sidewalk, unsure of what was next.

The wind blew her long red locks into her face, annoying the suspended officer. After clearing her face of the annoyance for a third time, a thought came over the young woman. Walking a few more blocks through downtown Gravity Falls, the redhead came to her new destination. 'Get The Hell Out of Hair Salon' the glass front door read as Wendy pushed it open. The redhead walked up to the front desk, hoping nobody would recognize her. "Well… if it isn't Wendy Corduroy…" a somewhat familiar voice called out to the apprehensive young woman. "Hey…" she replied to her former high school classmate, Renee. She was slightly shorter than Wendy and had a more average build than the slim redhead. "I'm sorry about what happened to you a few weeks ago… Are you alright?" the woman asked with genuine concern. "No… Not really" was about all she could muster. The two had not been close friends in high school, but were in a few classes together. Renee knew that Wendy was a nice person and that she cared about her friends greatly, so the comment put a small frown on her face. The sandy haired woman couldn't begin to imagine what the young woman was going through.

"So, you're here to get your hair styled?" asked the somewhat confused woman. She was certain that Wendy Corduroy wasn't here for a haircut, as she was pretty sure that the young woman had never had one in her life. Once, when her mother still owned the place, she recalled her coming in to get her hair done for a school dance, but that had been a while ago. "Nah… I need a change. I wanna get a haircut" she told her former acquaintance. "A-Are you sure hun?" she asked the redhead. "Yeah… I think it's time" she said in a somewhat solemn voice. "Alright… well come on back and we'll get you all set up here" she instructed Wendy, motioning for her to take a seat in the chair. The redhead took a seat and looked at herself in the mirror. Even though she looked presentable on the outside, the young woman was a mess just below the surface. "So… you're finally getting a haircut. Well… you couldn't have chosen a better place to come to. I promise you'll look great. So, what were you thinking?" Renee asked the auburn haired woman with a reassuring smile. "Well… it's just a chore to keep up with lately and I wanted something shorter" she told the sandy haired woman. "Well… if you wanna go really short, I can give you a pixie cut… it's all the rage in LA right now… that actress from that show 'The Theory of Gravity' just got it done" she relayed to Wendy. "Ugh… I don't know about that… I wanna keep some length to it… I got it!" the redhead said to the hairstylist as she reached for the phone in her pocket.

A few weeks before the twins had arrived, Wendy had gone to a music festival in Portland. One of the lead singers of a band had a hairstyle she liked. Looking up a picture of the musician on her 'Boggle' app, she showed it to the stylist. The picture was of a woman slightly older than Wendy, with brightly colored tattoos running down her arms. Her hair was jet black and about shoulder length; somewhat layered. "I want this!" was what she emphatically told Renee. "Well… that is a bit of a change… it'll be tough, but I can do it" she said with a bit of determination in her voice. "I have an idea" Wendy said to Renee. "Can you donate the hair I cut off to one of those foundations for kids who need it? I wanna be able to help at least one kid out" she said with a bit of regret in her voice. "Yeah, I think that's a great idea" the sandy haired woman agreed.

The scissors made their first cut, removing about a foot and a half of hair from the redhead. Renee held it up so that Wendy could see the long red locks in the mirror. The redhead was both shocked and relieved to have hair removed from her. She was pretty sure that some of that hair had been on her head when her mother was still alive. Looking in the mirror again, she saw that her locks still cascaded behind her shoulders, but she didn't feel it residing on the small of her back. "Close your eyes… I want you to be surprised" Renee said to the auburn haired woman. Wendy complied and shut her eyes. "Am I really doing this?" the redhead thought to herself. After a few minutes a voice pierced her deep thoughts. "Okay… you can open your eyes now!" and excited Renee exclaimed. Separating her eyelids, she saw a stranger in the mirror in front of her. She was very pleased with what she saw in her reflection. It was definitely shorter, but still feminine. "So… what do you think?" asked an apprehensive Renee. "I-I… I love it! It's awesome! I still look like me, but different" the auburn haired woman said with a smile; the first she had displayed in a long while. "I'm glad you like it Wendy!" the sandy haired woman said with excitement in her voice. Wendy rose from the chair and hugged the hairstylist. "You have no idea how much it means to me to have someone do something nice for me…" the redhead said as tears filled up her emerald eyes.

"So… what's the damage?" the young woman said as she regathered herself. "For you… nothing…" Renee replied to the shocked redhead. "Nah… I gotta give you something… I mean-"was all she could get out before the hairstylist interrupted. "It's the least I could do. Look, I've heard a lot of people talking crap about you and I don't think you deserve a bit of it. You tried. Hell, you were the only thing keeping them safe and you get this back. Fuck 'em!" Renee said in fury of emotion. "Thanks…" was all Wendy could say before breaking down into tears. Renee embraced the emotional auburn haired woman. After about a minute, Wendy was able to compose herself once again. "Thanks Renee! We need to catch up sometime soon" she said to the hairstylist. "For sure" the sandy haired woman replied. Wendy headed down the sidewalk once again, this time with a renewed sense of optimism.


	2. Chapter 2

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Two

Authors Note: Sorry for the short chapter, but the holidays have been nuts and my travel kind of affected my writing time. Thanks for the great feedback and views, it means a lot to me!

The alarm went off on Dipper's phone as the teenage boy groaned and rolled over, silencing the annoyance that had disrupted his slumber. Rubbing his chestnut eyes with his still healing broken hand, the teen boy opened his eyelids and sat up in the bed. His vision shifted to the pink and purple cast that served as a stark reminder of the fact that the events of nearly two weeks ago weren't just a nightmare he could wake up from. The teenager had been adamant that the cast bear that specific pair of colors so that he could see a constant reminder of his fallen sister and girlfriend. He had not left his room in several days, with the exception of when he had to use the restroom. The brown haired teen had managed to pull himself together for both Mabel and Pacifica's funerals, but it had taken everything he had to do so. The only thing that had kept the young man going was his good friend Wendy, who he knew was going through similar emotions herself.

Dipper had debated attending the funeral of Robbie, but ultimately chose against doing so. While the teenager had felt bad for the troubled young man's mother and father, the angst he held for the gunman greatly outweighed those feelings. From what he heard, it was a small affair that had a very low attendance; mostly family and a few distant friends. The brown haired teen struggled to see what had driven the man to take the lives of the two teenage girls and ultimately his own. Dipper knew that being angry wouldn't solve anything, but he couldn't find it within his soul to forgive Robbie. He thought to himself that maybe someday he would be able to get to that place, but that for now he would just try to not let it consume him.

The teen boy got out of the bed and looked out the triangular window of the attic room; taking in the sight of a beautiful day. "I've been in here too long… maybe if I go for a walk, I'll be able to clear my head a bit" the brown haired teenager rationalized to himself. Dipper walked over to his closet and picked out a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. The teenager opened a small wooden box that lay on a shelf in the small room. Inside were a few pieces of jewelry that the young man rarely wore. Dipper reached into the box and pulled out a paracord bracelet that Mabel had made for him last summer. The mostly white trinket was emblazoned with a lone blue pine tree, which his twin sister had called his personal logo. It was a small, but very thoughtful gift the young woman had given her brother when he had been feeling down one day. The memory caused a smile to form on his formerly stoic face as the teen boy placed the bracelet around his healthy wrist and snapped it shut.

Throwing on the outfit, Dipper opened the door to his self-imposed fortress of solitude and made his way to the lower level of the Mystery Shack. The teenager entered the kitchen, where Soos, Melody, Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford sat at the table. "Dipper! Good to see you! How you doing bud?" asked Stan to the teen boy with an enthusiastic, yet cautious voice. The older man had worried for teenager in the weeks following the tragedy and was relieved to see him emerge from the attic. "As good as I can Grunkle Stan" the brown haired boy said to the older man with a sense of dread in his voice. "I hear ya kid… I hear ya" was all Stan could reply to the young man. Losing his great-niece was tough on the grizzled man, as he had seen the brunette girl as a bit of a spark in his otherwise mundane life. While Dipper had clearly taken after his brother Ford, Mabel was the spontaneous twin, who liked to act first and think later, much like Stanley at that age.

Dipper grabbed a plate from the cupboard and headed towards the table, where an open seat awaited. Sitting down, the teenager reached for the bowl of scrambled eggs and added a few scoops to his plate. "So… dude… did you have any plans for the day? 'Cause if not, Melody and me were gonna go to the park. You're welcome to join if ya want…" the larger man said through bites of his food. The teen boy looked up from his plate. "That's really nice of you guys to invite me and all… but I don't think I'm ready yet…" the young man said in a solemn, yet determined voice. "It's cool dawg… I understand. Maybe some other time…" Soos said as he sat up from the table and brought his plate to the kitchen sink. "If you want, we can hang out here and do whatever you want to do" Melody said to the brown haired boy. "Nah… you guys go have fun. I think I'm just gonna go for a walk and clear my head" Dipper replied as he pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. He exited the room and headed for the front door of the Mystery Shack, leaving his half eaten plate on the table. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Ford broke the silence. "I'm worried about the boy. Maybe one of us should keep an eye on him today" the bespectacled man suggested. "I know just the person to do that" Stan said with a smirk as he sat up from the table and headed towards the telephone in the living room, leaving the other three occupants of the kitchen with a shared look of confusion.

Exiting the Mystery Shack, the forest called to the brown haired teenager. The memories of summers gone by spent exploring them with his sister were still fresh in his mind. Deciding he wasn't quite ready to deal with the memories or the creatures that both inhabited the woods, the teenage boy stuck to the dirt road that cut through the trees and led to town. The nearly two mile long walk had given the boy some much needed fresh air, exercise, and most importantly, time to think. Dipper knew that he would have to move on at some point and that it was what both Mabel and Pacifica would want for him, but the teenager wasn't sure how to do so. He had lost his other half, the left hand to his right, his yang to his yin; his twin sister. As if that wasn't terrible enough, he had also lost his girlfriend of two years; a kindred soul that he believed in.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, a concrete sidewalk appeared beneath the teenager's black sneakers. The town of Gravity Falls, Oregon was just as bustling as ever, the townsfolk going about their everyday tasks. People walked up and down the sidewalks and cars drove past the brown haired teen boy as he had paused to take in the familiar surroundings. In the distance, Dipper spied a tall granite building adorned with colonnades; Northwest National Bank. The teenager began to walk down the street again, at a brisk pace towards the financial institution. Dipper had made it to the intersection where the bank was located and crossed the street to arrive at his destination. The teen boy looked at the empty diagonal parking spaces that lined the side of the street. Just two short weeks ago, he had said goodbye to both his sister and girlfriend in the exact spot that he now stood. Dipper took a knee and placed the palm of his broken hand onto the asphalt as tears began to well in his eyes.

Undenounced to the emotional teen boy, Tambry had gazed from across the street to spot the scene of the grieving teen. Sensing the gravity of the moment, the recently hired photographer of the Gravity Falls Gazette's website quickly snapped a picture, preserving the moment for all eternity. The olive skinned young woman decided to stick around and see what else would develop at the site of the town's tragedy. Tambry still had a hard time believing that the kind of event that had taken place almost a fortnight ago could have happened in Gravity Falls. To her, it was a small town where nothing really ever happened; at least not since the events of Weirdmageddon had come to pass nearly five years ago.

Dipper walked over the granite staircase and began to ascend the man made stone mountain. With his legs burning, the teenager stopped midway towards the top, taking a seat on the sun drenched stairs. He had noticed a bit of discoloration on the greyish white steps and placed an open palm on the mark. The brown haired boy could not explain it, but he had felt a strong connection to this particular section of the staircase. Unknown to him, that spot had been where his twin sister had been mortally wounded by a stray bullet, her blood staining the steps a crimson red. He rubbed the spot with his hand and closed his eyes as the tears returned once again. Tambry again had managed to capture raw emotion of the private and tender moment. Tears began to form in the young photographer's emerald eyes as she picked up her phone to message an old friend.

Wendy Corduroy was on her way to Nate's house to pick up some misbegotten alcohol when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Removing the electronic device from her dark denim, she unlocked the screen and noticed that she had received a text from her best friend Tambry. It had been a few days since the two young women had talked, and the redhead was eager to show off her new look to the violet haired woman. Opening the message, she saw the crushing photos that her friend had taken only moments before. The auburn haired woman's eyes welled up with tears as she saw the heartbreaking scenes displayed on her phone. Turning around, Wendy headed towards Northwest National Bank in a full sprint.

Dipper could not hold back his emotions any longer, as tears openly cascaded down his face. Wendy had rushed past people who occupied the sidewalk with no concern for their wellbeing. The young woman was done with protecting a town that had turned against her; now she would protect a lone soul. Out of breath, Wendy had made it to the bank. Looking off in the distance, she saw the brown haired teenager with his face buried in his hands. The auburn haired woman's heart felt as if it were breaking as she took in the scene that played out before her. Wendy slowly headed towards Dipper, unsure of what she could do or say to console the young man.

The sadness had overtaken the usually calm teenage boy as he recounted the horrible day that he had lost his entire world. Entrenched in thought, he was suddenly jarred back to the present when he felt something on his shoulder. Dipper turned his head to see a slightly older woman with red hair that draped her arm over his shoulders. Her hand began to rub his back, calming the upset teenager. "Hey Dipper… it's okay… I'm here" the unmistakable voice said in a reassuring tone. "W-Wendy?... What happened to all of your hair?" was all Dipper could ask to his good friend. "I… I needed a change… I think we all could use one after the last few weeks" she said with deep breath, unsure if Dipper liked the drastic new look she now sported. "I-I like it… I like it a lot…" the teenager replied, still shocked at the different appearance of Wendy. "Thanks… Hey… are you okay?" the redhead asked her friend. "I… I thought I was ready. I guess I'm not. I-I just miss her so much. Both of them…" the brown haired teen said as he began to weep again. "It's okay dude… I do too… I just want my little sisters back. I want us all to just be a big, happy group again…" Wendy said as she began to cry as well.

The two friends held each other as life continued to carry on all around them. Tambry again captured the touching image on her phone. The young woman was unsure of the fate of these photos, but felt that it had to be documented. After what seemed like hours, but in reality had only been a few minutes, the two broke their embrace. "I-I was gonna go visit Mabel and Pacifica if you wanted to join me…" invited Dipper in an unsure tone. "Yeah… I'd love to" Wendy accepted. The teen boy stood up and extended a hand to the young woman, helping her to get to her feet. The pair started off towards Gravity Falls Cemetery as Tambry followed in hot pursuit.


	3. Chapter 3

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Three

Sorry for the short chapter, but time has not been a commodity I've had an abundance of lately. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter and look forward to your feedback!

Dipper and Wendy headed towards Gravity Falls Cemetery, the final resting place of Mabel Pines and Pacifica Northwest. Wendy had put her arm around the teenage boy's shoulders as the pair walked down the cracked concrete sidewalks of the town. The friendly gesture was welcome by the brown haired young man, who was glad to have someone accompanying him for the first time in several days. The redhead's mind was searching for the proper thing to say to her friend. The young woman wanted to tell Dipper that things would be tough and that in the end everything would be alright, but was afraid of those words ringing hollow, as she was quite unsure of that herself.

The auburn haired woman's head turned and her eyes fell on brown haired teenager. He looked as though he hadn't slept much lately, which was understandable, as she had failed to do so as well. Almost every night for the past two weeks the young woman would drink until she passed out, as the thoughts of her two good friends dying in front of her prevented more conventional means of rest. Just as the redhead was about to say something to Dipper, an alert tone blared from her phone. The brown haired teen's eyes met Wendy's for a fleeting second as he had turned to see what the noise was. The young officer's head turned as she retrieved the phone from her front pocket and unlocked it. She had received a message from Nate, who had begun to grow worried by Wendy's absence from his house. 'Where you at? You Okay?' the message read. 'Hey, sorry dude. Ran into a friend and we're gonna go do something. I'll swing by later for that stuff' the redhead typed back to her concerned friend. 'K. Cool. See ya later then' Nate replied as Wendy put the phone back into her pocket.

"Everything okay?" asked a curious Dipper. "Yeah, Nate just was checking in to make sure I was alright" Wendy replied with a somewhat truthful answer. "Are you?" the brown haired teen inquired. "I'm alright I guess… I mean… it's tough… but I'm doing the best I can, ya know?" the redhead said with a bit of an unsure tone and a fake smile. "C'mon Wendy… I've been your friend for over five years now… you can drop the act. I know you… you're not alright. I know… because I'm not either" Dipper said to the young woman with a serious look in his eyes. The pair stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned their heads; eyes meeting as Wendy removed her arm from atop Dipper's shoulders. The pair found a bench to sit down on near the entrance of the graveyard. "Look… you're right… I'm kinda just a really big fucking mess right now dude. I-I'm not even sure I wanna go back to work… I don't know if I can. I can't even save my friends… how would I protect an entire fucking town! And why would they even want me to anyways?" the auburn haired woman said as she placed her head in her hands and began to cry.

It was Dipper's turn to comfort his friend as he placed a hand on the back of the upset girl. The young woman shook with grief as tears fell and hit the dry concrete of the sidewalk below. "Wendy… it's alright to feel this way. We're just a couple of messes right now. You're a great officer… you saved a ton of people that day… I'm sure the people of this town would welc-" the brown haired teen said before being cut off by the auburn haired woman. "Dipper, you don't know what they've been saying about me! They try to hide it and say it behind my back, but I hear them. A lady told her daughter that I was a disgrace and shouldn't be a cop! That I wouldn't be able to keep her safe! Another person said I let that piece of shit shoot them both because I hated them! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! I fucking loved those two! What gives them the damn right to say that?! I-I mean… I even heard someone say that I was in on it because I was fucking him! I wasn't! I hadn't talked the fucker in over two years! I-I just…" Wendy exploded as the tears continued to cascade down her freckled face.

"I had no idea… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Wendy. You know what?" the teenager asked his friend as she lifted her head for a moment to see what he had to say. "Fuck them! They don't deserve you! You put your life on the line for them every day and that's what they come back with!? FUCK THEM ALL!" the usually calm teen said in a flurry of anger as he shot up from the bench and began to pace on the sidewalk. Wendy had never seen Dipper like this. He wasn't just annoyed or angry; he was in a rage. Part of the young woman was turned on by the fact that he would stand up for her like that. The teenager rarely cursed, but he didn't care right now. All the brown haired boy cared about at the moment was his friend, who was being unfairly judged by the court of public opinion.

Wendy stood up and placed her hand on the incensed teenager's shoulder. Dipper turned around and saw the tear stained face of the redhead woman. "They don't matter. I know two people who do though, and we're kinda keeping them waiting" Wendy said with a bit of a chuckle. "Yeah… you're right. Mabel hates it when I take my time. Pacifica likes to keep things on schedule too, so we shouldn't keep them waiting" the brown haired teen said as a small smile broke across his face. The pair of friends headed off into the cemetery. Following not far behind, Tambry continued to trail the couple. The violet haired young woman pulled her phone out of her pocket and went to her contacts list. Scrolling past the many people she had listed in her phone, she slowed as she came across the 'S' section. 'Stan Pines' the contact displayed as the olive skinned woman selected the name and pressed the phone symbol next to it.

The redhead and teenage boy made their way past the markers of many graves as the path led them up a small hill. At the summit of the hill appeared a small tree, which cast it's shade on the graves that rest near the peak. Looking amongst the headstones, Dipper spotted the tombstone of his fallen twin sister's grave. It had been the first time since her burial that the teenager had been to his sister's grave. It wasn't real to the young man. He half expected his twin sister to cover his eyes and make him guess who at any moment. Wendy made her way over to the pink granite tombstone. The brunette teen girl's trademark shooting star graced the top, with her photo set inside the star. The slate of stone read: 'In Memory Of A Beautiful And Creative Young Woman Stolen From Us Far Too Soon Mabel Ariel Pines August 31st, 1999 - June 3rd, 2016 A Beloved Daughter, Twin Sister, Friend and Hero to the Town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Our Shooting Star'.

Tears began to stream from the face of Dipper Pines as he looked at his twin sister's final resting place. The brown haired boy fell to his knees and extended his arm towards the marker. His pink and purple cast clad hand rest upon the cool granite. Wendy stood a few paces back, letting Dipper have a bit of a personal moment with his sister. "Hey Mabel… It's me, Dipper. I miss you so much sis. I keep hoping that this is all just a bad nightmare and I'll wake up from it soon. Things aren't going so great. Wendy ended up getting shot and I think she blames herself for what happened to you guys. On the plus side, she got a new haircut. I know, I was pretty shocked when I saw it too, but it looks amazing. I know that Mom, Dad, Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Ford, Soos, Candy, Grenda, Gideon, and everyone else miss you so much. Wherever you are, I hope you can hear me right now. I know you and Pacifica want me to move on, but it's not easy. I wanna give up, but I know that you'd haunt me if I did. Don't worry, I promise I'll visit again soon. I love you" the teenager said as he hugged the stone and stood up.

Dipper nodded to his red haired companion and stepped back in the same manner of respect that Wendy had shown him. The auburn haired woman placed a hand on the cool granite of the tombstone. "Hey Mabel. I'm sure you're getting sick of hearing this, but I miss you. I wanna thank you for what you did the night you passed. It's taken me a while to figure out why, but this afternoon I finally got why you stopped me. I'm here to protect him. I promise you I will. Until my last breath and final beat of my heart, I'll keep him safe… you have my word" the redhead said. Stepping back from the marker, Dipper wrapped the slender young woman in a tight hug.

After breaking the embrace, Dipper and Wendy made their way to the tombstone behind Mabel's. The large black granite marker was a bit opulent, which the teen boy was sure that Pacifica hated with every bit of her being. 'Pacifica Elise Northwest May 26th 1999 – June 3rd 2016'. Anger came over the brown haired teenager as he gazed upon the golden inscription. He was upset by how impersonal and plain the marker was. Wendy came over to her friend's side and took note of his clenched fists. "Dude, ya alright?" the redhead asked. "How could they!? I mean, they didn't even say she was loved!" the teenager said as he broke out in fresh tears. Wendy placed her hands on the upset boy's shoulders to try and calm him down. "Dude… I get you. I do… but I mean, she knows that we all loved her and isn't that what's important?" Wendy asked. The brown haired teenager shrugged his shoulders away from the young woman and sprinted away from the grave. Wendy followed in pursuit as Tambry watched on from a distance.


	4. Chapter 4

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Four

Author's Note: So, this chapter took a little longer to post than I wanted it to. I just had to work some things out in the storyline and I feel like I now have a clearer path for where I want Dipper and Wendy to go moving forward. Thanks as always for all the awesome feedback, reviews and follows.

Dipper ran away from the cemetery as Wendy started off in pursuit of her distraught friend. Tambry, meanwhile, picked up her cell phone and placed a call to Stan Pines. The phone rang a few times before being picked up. "Hello?" the gravelly voice inquired. "Hey Mister Pines, this is Tambry" the violet haired young woman replied. "Oh, hello Tambry. So what's going on? How's the kid doin'?" the older man eagerly asked. "He was doing alright, actually. He went to the bank and kinda hung out there for a few… Then Wendy showed up and they kinda opened up to each other… I think it was good for them" the olive skinned woman informed. "Good. That's good. He really needs a friend right now, and she does too…" the older man said with a bit of optimism in his voice. "Yeah, so after that they went to the cemetery and visited Mabel. I gave them privacy, but I think it really did some good to talk to her… Then they went to see Pacifica… Dipper got upset by something and ran off… I'm gonna go see where he went…" Tambry explained. "It's a lot for the boy to take, but I'm sure glad that Wendy's there for him… Let me know what else happens" Stan said to the young woman. "I will. Gotta go!" Tambry said as she abruptly ended the call and began to give chase to the teenage boy.

Dipper rushed down the sidewalk, almost knocking over a few of the people who occupied the path. Tears distorted his vision as he sprinted through the center of town. Not far behind, Wendy Corduroy gave chase to the brown haired teen; her now shorter auburn hair flowing behind her. She wanted to talk to the upset teen and comfort him. While the young woman harbored feelings for the adventurous boy, she knew that his heart still belonged to Pacifica Elise Northwest. She understood that Dipper's heart had been broken by the loss of his girlfriend. The night of the incident, Dipper had revealed over some cheap whiskey that Pacifica's dying words had been her correcting him on her last name. Dipper had professed his love for Pacifica Elise Northwest one final time, but before he could finish, she interjected with "Pines". The fact that at the end she considered herself not a Northwest, but a Pines, had touched the teenager deeply. In the days after the tragedy, Dipper had gone to the courthouse and attempted to posthumously marry Pacifica. The move was quickly rejected by the Northwest family, who abhorred the fact that their daughter, the heir to the Northwest fortune, would want to elope with a common boy.

Tambry struggled to keep pace with the pair of friends; her heart was beating out of her chest as she drew deep breaths. The young woman, while slender, was not athletic at all. After a few blocks, the olive skinned woman gave up the chase; seeing the friends disappear down the street. Tambry was frustrated that Dipper and Wendy had given her the slip. The young woman bent over and grasped her knees as she struggled to regain her breath. Dipper, meanwhile, ran with all his might away from the reminder of his nonexistent future with Pacifica. The teenager wondered if he should confront Preston and Priscilla Northwest about the uncaring monument to his girlfriend's life.

Dipper's mind raced with thoughts of his late girlfriend. Distracted, the teenager failed to notice the bit of concrete that jutted up from the formerly smooth path. The white rubber sole of his sneakers caught the obstruction and the brown haired boy began to topple. A wave of pain crashed over the boy as connected with the hard ground. Wendy, meanwhile, had managed to catch up to Dipper. The redhead closed at such a rate that she had no time to react to the brown haired teenager's sudden stop and ran into the back of her friend, sending her hurtling towards the sidewalk as well.

Pain came over the redhead as she contacted the concrete ground with a thud. Glancing over, the young woman caught sight of the teen boy she had been chasing. Dipper had rolled over to his side, looking away from the street and towards Wendy Corduroy. Pain radiated from his already fractured fingers and wrist as he struggled to regather himself. "Fuck!" was all the brown haired teenager could say while he sat up. One of the knees in his jeans had been torn open by the contact and fresh blood began to stain the sky blue denim. Wendy had managed to pick herself off the ground; looking down at her fallen friend. Her concern for Dipper prevented the auburn haired woman from noticing her own scraped forearm.

"Dude! Dipper! Are you okay?" Wendy exclaimed to the injured teen. "I-I'm alright… I think" the brown haired boy responded. "Dipper, we need to talk man… Let me help you up" the redhead said as she extended an arm to her friend. The teenager grasped the hand of the young woman and rose to his feet; pain radiating from his left knee. Dipper stood just inches from Wendy as he peered into her emerald eyes. The teenager felt safe when he talked to the redhead; as if he could just be himself and not be judged. "Look… I'm sorry Wendy… I'm just so upset. I loved her. I can't imagine life without her. I know it's selfish of me, but I just want everyone else to see what a wonderful person she was. Ya know? I mean, she was so much more than her last name. She was a lot smarter than people gave her credit for, myself included. Her best days were ahead of her… and now…" the brown haired teenager said as tears began to cascade down his face. Wendy's eyes filled with tears as well; her arms reached out and wrapped around back of the emotional boy.

"Dipper… don't be sorry. You two were great together and I'm sure wherever she is now, she feels the same way. You're my friend… and when you're upset it hurts me. I can't imagine what it feels like to lose someone that you wanna spend your whole life with. I'm kinda sick of people saying we need to move on. Listen to me Dipper… You take as long as you need to mourn Pacifica. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not only that, but you lost your sister too… I can't even begin to think wha-" the redhead said as a pair of lips met hers. She melted into the kiss as time seemed to come to a complete standstill. Wendy closed her eyes as a rush of warmth pulsed through her slender body.

Dipper had leaned forward and kissed the lips of Wendy Corduroy. The brown haired teenager struggled to understand what had come over him. The usually calculating teen had let everything fall to the wayside as he wrapped his arms around her the small of her back. He missed his beloved Pacifica greatly and part of him felt as if he was committing a heinous act by placing his lips on another woman, but he could not help himself. Maybe it was the fact that she had always been there for him in the past. Maybe it was the fact that she had suffered a similar loss. Maybe it was that she just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Whatever the reason, Dipper had felt compelled to kiss the young woman.

Wendy had come to her senses and pulled back from the kiss. Dipper opened his eyes with a look of disappointment, not sure of how his friend had taken his advance. After an awkward moment, Wendy opened her mouth. "Dipper… dude… that was amazing…" the young woman said in a breathless voice as a bright red blush came over her freckled cheeks. "I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me… I should ha-" the brown haired boy attempted to say before being silenced by the soft lips of the auburn haired woman. The teenager's legs felt as if they would give out at any moment. Thoughts raced through both Dipper and Wendy's heads as the kiss intensified. Wendy broke the kiss as a feeling of shame came over her. "I'm sorry Dipper… I know you're still with Pacifica… I-I just can't… I can't help myself… I've had a crush on you for, like, ever… and it really hurts me to see you this way…" Wendy said to the equally red faced teen boy. "It's fine… I think we're both just really fucked up right now and we just get each other like nobody else can…" the brown haired boy offered as an explanation. "Yeah… ya' know what? You're right. We really do need to talk about all this though… Let's go back to my place…" Wendy offered to the teenager. The redhead immediately cursed her decision, as her house was an absolute mess. The pair started off towards Wendy's apartment as a stunned Tambry looked on.

Not much else was said between the pair as they walked a few blocks to the corner of a two story brick building. Wendy unhooked the keys from her belt loop and unlocked the wooden door. Stepping inside the vestibule, Wendy closed the door and turned the lock. "It's up this way dude…" the redhead said as she pointed up the staircase. Climbing the long flight of stairs, the pair made it to Wendy's apartment door. The auburn haired woman turned the knob and flipped on a light switch, illuminating the dwelling. To the right of the Dipper lay the kitchen, which had a sink full of dirty dishes, as well as piles of pizza boxes and other takeout containers. The trash can appeared to be overflowing and aluminum beer cans littered the linoleum floor. A small, chest high wall separated the kitchen form the living room. "Dipper… I'm sorry about the mess… I wasn't expecting anyone" the redhead said with a bit of shame in her voice.

The brown haired teenager spotted a brown leather couch, which was adorned with some of Wendy's clothing. The coffee table in front of the couch was littered with liquor bottles and crushed beer cans, as well as greasy paper plates. The teen boy realized just how badly the young officer had taken the loss of her friends. "Wendy… are things alright? I mean, I know they're not, but this doesn't seem like you at all…" Dipper said with a concerned tone. Wendy looked down at the hardwood floor. She never intended to let anyone see how she was dealing with the situation, yet here was her crush, probably thinking what a drunken loser she was. "I'm so embarrassed… I-I've been having a pretty rough time with this…" Wendy said with tear filled eyes. She took a seat on the couch and motioned for Dipper to join her. The teenage boy moved a flannel button up shirt and a pair of cloth shorts off of the dark leather sofa and took a seat.

Wendy turned her head to look the teenage boy in his eyes, reaching out to grab his hands and place them in her own. "Mason… I have to tell you something… Something I-I'm not really proud of… please don't think less of me because of what I'm about to tell you…" the auburn haired woman said with a hint of desperation in her voice. "Wendy… You're an amazing person… This is hard for both of us… whatever it is, I'll understand…" the brown haired teen said as he offered support to his good friend. "Well… the night that Mabel and Pacifica died… I woke up really early that morning… I got sick… probably from drinking too much of that cheap whiskey… anyways… I went and got cleaned up. I didn't think I could deal with this… all of this" Wendy said slowly, unsure of how she wanted to express herself as Dipper looked on with interest and concern. Wendy continued, "I went outside… and… and… I went and got my gun…" The auburn haired woman struggled to complete her thought as tears streamed down her freckled cheeks. After taking a moment to collect herself, she continued. "I-I didn't wanna live… not after what happened… I-I know it was selfish… but I just couldn't stand the thought of letting everyone down… an-and I-I…" Wendy stammered, overcome with emotion. "I cocked it back and held it to my head… I couldn't take it any more… I-I just wanted it all to go away…" Wendy revealed to a stunned Dipper. The young man had always thought that she was infallible, free from weakness that others would easily succumb to.

"I-I pulled the trigger… I pulled the trigger, man… and… and… I thought that was it… I thought I had taken my life… I opened my eyes and I was still here… I… I couldn't explain it. I should have died…" the young officer said as she buried her face into her hands and cried. "But… But you're here now… soooo… it was empty?" the teenager asked confusedly as the brown haired boy had no knowledge of firearms or how they worked."No… that's the thing… the gun went off. The shell casing fell to the ground. It should have killed me… but it didn't. I know this is hard to believe… I mean, I still don't believe it and it happened to me… but…" Wendy said in an unsure tone as her friend rubbed her back with his hand. "I-I know you're gonna think I'm crazy… but I saw Mabel! I spoke with her!" the young woman said with an enthusiastic tone. "You spoke with her?!" Dipper exclaimed.""She stopped me… She stopped me from killing myself Dipper... She told me that she had pulled the gun away at the last minute… She said that I have a greater purpose and after telling me what it was she made me promise that I wouldn't tell anyone…" Wendy adamantly stated to her unsure friend. "And… she told me to think of others and all the hurt that killing myself would cause them to go through… and you know what… she was right…" the auburn haired officer said with a somewhat determined tone. "I-I also talked with Pacifica…" the auburn haired woman revealed to her friend. Dipper was stunned by the bombshell that Wendy had just dropped.


	5. Chapter 5

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Five

Sorry that this chapter took so long to post, I was kinda trying to figure out where to go with the story again and also free time has become hard to find lately. Enjoy!

Dipper sat stunned on the leather couch as Wendy Corduroy had just dropped a bombshell on him. Not only had the confident and strong young woman revealed that she attempted to end her life, but she was saved by the recently deceased Mabel Pines. The teenage boy did not know how to react. Should he be angry for Wendy trying to kill herself? Should he be upset that the young officer felt that she couldn't overcome the guilt and grief she felt? Should he be jealous that his girlfriend spoke to Wendy instead of him, when he could have used some kind of closure? The brown haired teen's head was swirling with emotions and thoughts.

"Yoo-hoo! Earth to Dipper! Hey! You okay there bud?" Wendy asked as she waved a hand in front of the stunned teenager's eyes. "Huh? Wha?... Oh, yeah… I'm alright…" Dipper replied after hesitating a bit. "Dude… I know that was a lot to digest there… It just… It just feels so good to let that out… It feels like my soul just took a huge dump" the redhead said with a bit of a laugh. The brown haired boy responded with a half-hearted chuckle. Wendy knew that both of them were in a bit of an odd place emotionally and maybe an attempt at humor wasn't the best approach to take. "Mason… dude… I'm sorry. I know I just dropped all that on you and all. I shouldn't be trying to be funny right now" the redhead sheepishly apologized.

"It's cool… it must have been hard to keep that all to yourself… So anyways, you said you spoke to Pacifica? What did she say?" the teenage boy asked eagerly. "Well, after Mabel saved me, we talked… like I said earlier. Then, Pacifica showed up. She told me that she missed you so much and that she wanted to be there for you so badly. Pacifica said that I should help you move on… that it was alright to keep living your life and that I should keep an eye on you. Mabel seconded that thought. They both also stressed that I should keep you from using the Journal to raise them from the dead, because they were at peace now" the auburn haired woman explained to the teenager.

"Why didn't they visit me?" asked a somewhat solemn Dipper. "They both said that they had gotten to say their goodbyes to you and that they were so special that they didn't wanna ruin it" Wendy tried to explain to the teenager. After a moment of hesitation, a small smile broke out on the teen boy's face. "I miss them so much… but they're right. I got to say goodbye to both of them and I know they're watching out for me. It won't be easy, but I will move on… I promise" the brown haired boy said as he looked up. Wendy placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "I think we might just make it through this… as long as we have each other…" Wendy said to the teenager with an optimistic tone. "Ya know what Wendy… I think you're right" Dipper responded with a nod.

Wendy got up from the couch and went into the kitchen; opening a cabinet. A moment later, the auburn haired woman emerged with a white plastic trash bag. "I really need to clean this place up…" the young woman said as she began to pick up the aluminum beer cans and empty liquor bottles that littered the apartment. Dipper stood up and went to the kitchen, emerging a few moments later with a trash bag of his own. "Sit down; you don't have to help… I made this mess, I've gotta clean it up" Wendy said to her friend. "I know I don't have to help; I want to help…" the brown haired teen said with a smile. "Well… I guess there's enough shit around here for both of us…" the young officer shot back.

The pair spent the next few hours cleaning and re-arranging the apartment. One final beer can remained on the hardwood floor. Both Wendy and Dipper noticed the piece of debris and attempted to pick it up. Suddenly, both friends felt a sharp pain as they banged heads. "Ow!" the pair cried out as their skulls struck one another. Wendy stepped back, while Dipper remained in place, hunched over. "I'm sorry!" they both said in unison. The pair laughed, but Wendy's expression quickly turned to a more concerned look. "Dude, I must have got you good… Your forehead is starting to swell up a bit… I'll go get some ice" the auburn haired woman said with a caring tone. Dipper placed his hand to his forehead and felt the bump that Wendy had just described. He could hear the young woman gathering ice cubes from the freezer. Dipper sat down on the dark leather couch as Wendy returned from the kitchen with a plastic bag full of ice.

The redhead joined him on the sofa and gently placed the bag of ice against his forehead. "This should keep the swelling down for now…" Wendy said as her eyes met with Dipper's. Both the brown haired teenager and the young officer drew closer to each other, finally connecting lips in a soft manner, as to avoid hitting heads once again. Dipper melted into the kiss as Wendy took the lead; wrapping an arm around the upper back of the teenager. The kiss became more passionate as both friends gave in to their inner most desires. Both Wendy and Dipper were alone and scared; not sure of how to move forward without Mabel and Pacifica by their sides.

Wendy lay down on the couch as Dipper climbed on top of the slender young woman. The brown haired teenager began to kiss the neck of the redhead as she bit her lip in pleasure. Wendy raised her arms and placed her hands at the bottom hem of Dipper's black t-shirt, slowly sliding it up the slender, yet toned body of the teen boy. Dipper had broken his lips free from the nape of the auburn haired woman long enough for her to remove his cotton shirt; throwing the garment onto the hardwood floor with reckless abandon. Wendy leaned up and placed her soft lips onto the teenager's; resuming the make out session.

After a few minutes, the pair paused to catch their breath. Dipper sat up on the couch, allowing Wendy to rise as well. The young woman's face had become flushed; her hair a bit messy. Dipper caught sight of the redhead and could not break his stare. The teenager was overcome as the crimson blush colored her normally pale and freckled face. Dipper extended his arm and brushed away a tuft of auburn hair from the young woman's face. "You're so beautiful…" the brown haired teen said as Wendy's face became an even darker shade of red. "Me… Nah…" the redhead said as she looked away from the teenager. "Of course you are… learn to take a complement" Dipper playfully said to his good friend. "I-I guess so… thanks" the auburn haired woman said with a shy voice.

Wendy rose from the couch and extended a hand to the young man. Dipper gladly accepted the offering and rose to his feet. Wendy began to walk away; almost dragging the brown haired seventeen year old with her. Without breaking her stride, the young woman turned around and gave a nod to the teenage boy while biting her lip. The pair walked down a small hallway; passing several closed doors along the way. At the end of the somewhat dark corridor were two doors; one on the left and one on the right. Turning to the left, Wendy opened the wooden door, revealing a brightly lit room. It took a moment for the teenager's eyes to adjust to the lighting in the bedroom. A soft white rug adorned the hardwood floor; a small white desk rest against the wall directly in front of him. On the desk was an open laptop, some marble notebooks, and a few framed pictures. Wendy had let go of the teenager's hand, allowing him to explore the room a bit. The framed pictures on the desk included a family portrait of the Corduroys, a selfie of Wendy and Tambry, and a picture of Dipper, Mabel, Pacifica, and herself inside the gift shop of the Mystery Shack. Upon further inspection, the teen noticed dried water marks on the glass of the frame.

Dipper's focus on the picture was broken when Wendy approached the teenager and planted her lips on his. The rush of emotions came over the brown haired young man as he grasped the soft cotton of Wendy's gray shirt and pulled it over her head, revealing a red and black plaid bra. The freckles that decorated the young woman's chest had caught Dipper's attention. "Like what you see?" Wendy asked seductively as the brown haired boy's face turned a crimson hue. The redhead grasped at the belt loops of the teenager and pulled him closer to her as the pair resumed their previously interrupted kiss. Wendy placed her hands on the teenager's belt buckle and began to unclasp it, revealing a button underneath. The young woman unfastened the metal button at the top of the teen boy's denim pants and proceeded to pull down the zipper, casing the young man's pants to fall to the floor.

Wendy took in the sight of the toned teenager standing in nothing more than a pair of dark grey cotton boxer briefs. "Like what you see?" Dipper smugly asked the auburn haired woman. Words escaped the redhead and all she could respond with was a smile and nod. The teenager returned the favor, unbuttoning the black skinny jeans of the young officer and slowly sliding them down her slender legs, revealing a pair of red and black plaid panties that matched her bra. The pair stepped out of their pants and walked towards the large bed that resided in the far corner of the room. A tan comforter rested on the rather large bed, which was framed by a handmade bedframe and headboard. Unknown to Dipper, Wendy had used the skills she had learned from her family to build most every piece of furniture in her apartment.

Wendy turned Dipper around and threw him onto the bed; her passion causing her to forget that the teen boy had a broken hand and wrist despite his very obvious pink and purple cast. Dipper reached out his arms to break his fall and instantly regretted the decision as a sharp pain radiated through his right hand and wrist. The teenager grimaced in pain as a wave of guilt shot through Wendy, interrupting her previously impure thoughts. "Dude… I'm so sorry! I forgot… I'm such a fucking idiot" the young woman stammered, before feeling a hand on her backside. "It's alright… I can still think of plenty of things to do with one hand…" the teenager said in a somewhat husky voice. Wendy dove onto the young man and began to kiss him yet again as his hands began to explore her body.

Wendy removed her bra, exposing her breasts to the brown haired teen. Thoughts ran through her head of the time a few summers ago when the then teenage woman and her friends had gone to a house party hosted by her friend Tambry. The redhead was a bit more immature back then and thought that the age difference between herself and Dipper was too large of an obstacle to scale for a relationship. The group had consumed quite a bit of alcohol that night and combined with a bit of teenage hormones had led to underage discoveries on a reckless night. Tambry had just broken up with her boyfriend Robbie and was looking for a one night stand. Dipper Pines had crossed paths with the young woman and the two inebriated teens had almost gotten intimate. The descriptions of Dipper's then fifteen year old body had driven the auburn haired woman crazy. Now, a little over two years later, the young woman would experience it all for herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Six

Sorry this took so long to write, but I was suffering from a bit of writer's block and wanted to ensure that I was telling a coherent story here. I appreciate all the views and reviews that I receive from all of you and hope that you enjoy the latest installment. Standard I don't own Gravity Falls or any characters legal crap.

Wendy had straddled Dipper as he lay on the bed. Only two thin sets of fabric separated the pair as they began to kiss once again. Both the redhead and teen boy had been in this position before, albeit with other partners. The auburn haired woman had become well aware of the fact that her best friend Tambry had not been exaggerating when she described Dipper's toned body and other, more intimate parts of his anatomy. Dipper noticed the scar that adorned the area under the redhead's right arm; a visible reminder of the house party the group of friends attended two years previous. Wendy had gotten into a fight with another young woman and suffered a punctured lung as a result of the ordeal. The teen boy had always wondered what exactly happened to cause the fight, but always thought it would be in bad taste to ask. He had heard some things from Mabel while searching for Pacifica on that fateful night, but honestly never was paying full attention.

The brown haired teenager's thoughts were interrupted when Wendy had hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his cotton boxer briefs. With one fluid motion, the auburn haired woman slid the undergarment down the muscular legs of the seventeen year old, exposing his most intimate of areas to the young woman. Dipper responded in kind by grasping the redhead with both of his hands and flipping her off of him. She landed with a thud onto the bed as Dipper rolled over and mounted her. The teen boy placed his lips to her abdomen and began to kiss down the slender, yet muscular woman's torso. At the same time, the brown haired teenager had hooked his fingers into the waistband of the plaid panties of Wendy and slid them off.

The pair of friends shed their inhibitions and began to have sex. Dipper and Wendy shared their unbridled passion with one another as both near the apex of ecstasy. After revisiting the feeling a few more times, the couple had become exhausted. Wendy was first to pass out, her slight snores amusing Dipper. He placed his casted arm over the side of the auburn haired woman as he drifted off to sleep as well. The pair had been asleep for a few minutes, when a loud banging was heard on the front door of Wendy's apartment. Wendy shot straight up from the bed, the setting sun filtering through the blinds in her window and onto her pale skin. "Shit!" the young woman exclaimed as she glanced over at her phone to see many missed calls and messages. They were from Nate, who had grown concerned about his friend's lack of response. "One sec dude!" the auburn haired woman yelled as she sat up on the bed and searched for the clothing she had shed earlier in the afternoon.

After hastily throwing on her clothes, the redhead went to the living room. The young woman was about to answer the door when she realized that she wasn't wearing a shirt. "Just another minute Nate… I just woke up" she reassured the tattooed man. Her eyes caught Dipper's shirt on the floor, much to her relief. Pulling the black cotton shirt over her head, Wendy answered the door. Dipper awoke to the sound of the front door opening. Alarmed at his lack of attire, the brown haired teen searched the room for his clothes. The teenager had been able to locate and get dressed in all of his clothes, except for his shirt. Opening the bedroom door, Dipper walked down the hallway towards the living room, where he spotted Nate and Wendy talking. The tattooed man held a twenty four pack of beer in his right arm; no doubt for Wendy. He was slightly worried about how the young officer was dealing with her grief, but chose not to judge her for it. The missing black t-shirt Dipper had been seeking was being worn by Wendy, who's slender frame made the medium sized shirt appear to be an extra-large.

"Nice hair Wendy! I really like how it looks… I guess you finally decided to switch up your style…" the twenty year old man said with a bit of a chuckle. "Yeah, I kinda needed a change after everything…" the redhead said with a sullen tone. "I could see why you felt that way" the tan skinned man said to the somewhat uncomfortable woman. Dipper made his way into the living room, trying to stay out of the sight of Nate. "I-is that?! Aw hell yeah, it is! Dipper! What's up my man?" Nate asked the seventeen year old in an excited voice. "Hey Nate" was all the brown haired teen could muster as he was slightly uncomfortable without a shirt. "Dude, you forget something?... Wait a minute… Oh, man… you… and you… were… oh…" the tattooed man said as he pieced together the scene before him. Dipper's face turned red as his and Wendy's escapade was revealed. "Yeah… We did it… So?!" asked Wendy in a mildly offended voice. "Oh… I didn't mean anything by it… In fact… I'm surprised it took you guys this long… the gang always kinda figured that you two were gonna hook up at some point… Man, I gotta see who won the pool…" Nate said with a laugh. Wendy took a moment to respond before joining in the laughter. Dipper continued to awkwardly stand in the living room without a shirt, as the two older friends laughed.

"So… what brings you here?" asked Dipper as he tried to break the awkwardness, despite seeing the case of beer in Nate's hand. "I was just swinging by to drop off a little get well gift to Wendy. I think that my gift kinda sucks compared to what you gave her though" the darker skinned man said with a chuckle as he playfully punched Dipper in the arm. The teenager rubbed his now sore arm as he saw an angered look come over Wendy's face. "Look, dude. It was cool to see you and all, but I gotta get Dipper home. He invited me to the Shack for dinner with his family tonight… Isn't that right Dip?" the auburn haired woman said as she looked for a way out of the ever increasing awkwardness. "Y-Yeah… we gotta get going… I don't want everyone waiting on account of me…" the brown haired teen said as he had caught on to what Wendy was doing. "Alright… I'll get going. By the way, if you guys are free Saturday night, Tambry and the gang are getting together at her house for a little party" the tattooed man invited as he stood in the door frame. "Yeah, that sounds cool. I'll be there… and Dipper too… Right?" the redhead said as she nudged the taller teenager. "Yeah… it sounds like it'll be a blast…" Dipper responded with a bit of dry sarcasm. With a wave, Nate left the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"A-A party?! Really!? I-I'm not sure that I'm ready for that quite yet… I mea-" the teenager stammered before being silenced by a set of soft lips. It always sort of amused the auburn haired woman to see Dipper get flustered. Breaking the kiss, a look of calm washed over the teenage boy's face. "It'll be fine Dip. It's just a few friends, and besides… I'm sure it will be nothing like the last party we went to together…" Wendy tried to convince the teen. "Oh… you mean the party where my sister got sexually assaulted? The one where my girlfriend almost died in a drunken car crash and my best friend almost died from getting beat up by some drifter woman she barely even knew? Yeah… I think I'll pass…" the shirtless teen angrily said as he dismissed the invitation. Wendy was taken aback by Dipper's recollection of the party from nearly two years ago. The brown haired boy began to storm off before being halted by the young woman who was wearing his shirt. "Look… I know that sucked and all, but it's in the past. Yeah, I have a scar and all… and Mabel had to kick some dude's dick in… and okay, maybe Pacifica did almost die in a car crash… but it will be different this time… I promise… Please? Trust me?" the auburn haired woman pleaded as her green eyes pierced the soul of the teen they were staring at.

Taking a moment to calm down and collect his thoughts, Dipper locked eyes with his best friend. "Okay… I trust you" the teenager relented as a trusting smile broke across his face. "So… do you wanna come to dinner? You know, since you already invited yourself and all?" the brown haired boy said, poking fun at the young woman. "I might as well… I haven't got shit to eat here… As long as everyone at the Shack is cool with it…" Wendy replied to the facetious offer. "Yeah… I think they'll be really glad to see you. I mean, they haven't seen you since the funeral. It'll be really good for everybody" the teenager reassured. Wendy walked out of the living room and proceeded to her bedroom, where she went to retrieve her shirt.

Dipper took the opportunity to explore the apartment while waiting for the young woman. Pictures displayed near the television drew him in. An image of Wendy in a boat with a fish in one hand and her rod in the other piqued his interest. While he had noticed the cheerful look that Wendy's face displayed, the demeanor of a person in the background drew his curiosity even more. It was Manly Dan Corduroy, Wendy's father. Dipper had never seen the look that was displayed on the lumberjack's face before. It was one of pure pride and joy. Manly Dan was known as a generally angry and unimpressed man by most everyone in the town. It warmed the brown haired teen's heart to see the man show such adoration for his only daughter. Moving his sight to yet another picture on the wall, Dipper saw Manly Dan a second time. He was once again on a boat, with a young red haired woman with a fish and reel by his side. Dipper had thought it was odd that Wendy would have two pictures from the same trip next to each other, but upon further inspection, a stunning revelation came to the brown haired teenager. The woman in the photograph was not Wendy, but another young woman; her mother. Dipper had to do a double take, as Wendy was a carbon copy of her mother in every way imaginable. In both pictures the women appeared to be the same age, height, and build. The only way to tell the pictures apart was to look at Dan, who appeared slightly less muscular and younger in the one with his wife.

Lost in his thoughts, the teenager had failed to notice the fact that Wendy had reentered the room. A smile came over the redhead's face as she saw Dipper entranced with the photographs. She walked over and placed a hand on the brown haired boy's shoulder. To the surprise of the young woman, Dipper failed to jump at the sensation. "It's unreal how alike we look, isn't it?" Wendy said as she broke the teen's concentration. "Yeah… it really is" the teen said with a bit of an astonished voice. "I wish she were still here… I could really use her right now" the auburn haired woman said with a sullen voice. The loss of her mother had always been a sore spot for the young woman, as she had felt robbed of the traditional mother and daughter relationship. Sure, she had gotten to spend her first nine years with her, but still she longed for all the experiences she had missed out on in the ten years since. "I'm sure she's with you right now… and that she's proud of you for who you are and what you stand for" Dipper tried to reassure his friend. Wendy took the brown haired boy's hand and walked him over to the couch, where they both took a seat.

"It was an aneurism in her sleep. That's what took my mom" the nineteen year old woman said as she looked into Dipper's eyes. Wendy began to tear up as she continued. "She had just tucked my brothers and me into bed, and told dad that she had a bad headache and was going to turn in early. I think she knew. I still remember that morning like it was yesterday… My father begging her to wake up. The EMT's coming and taking her away. The funeral. I miss her so much. I get why my dad was so against me joining the force… because he was afraid of losing me too… especially since I've been told I look and act exactly like mom did at my age…" the redhead said. Dipper felt bad for Wendy and hoped that she could patch things up with her father and brothers. "I-I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that…" the brown haired teenager said to Wendy. "It's alright… it was just her time. You know, the funny thing about that picture was that it was taken on their first date…" the auburn haired woman revealed to Dipper.

After taking a moment, Wendy got up from the couch. "Well, we should get going… I don't wanna keep everyone waiting" the nineteen year old woman said to Dipper. "Yeah, if I know my family like I do, they won't wait too long to start digging in…" the brown haired teen said with a laugh. Wendy grabbed her trademark green flannel shirt and put it on over her grey t-shirt, as the sun had begun to set and the temperature would likely begin to fall as well. Wendy closed and locked the apartment door behind her as the pair departed for the Mystery Shack. After descending the flight of stairs that led to the second story dwelling the two friends sat on the bottom step and put their shoes on before exiting the vestibule and locking that door as well. Wendy led Dipper around the back of the building into an alley way where her green Fjord J-150 was parked. The pair of friends entered the vehicle and prepared themselves for the onslaught of questions that were likely awaiting them when they would arrive at the Mystery Shack in a few short minutes.


	7. Chapter 7

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Seven

Authors Note: I have some ideas of where I want to go with this, so this chapter and maybe the next should be the last two 'slow' parts of the story. As usual, time was hard to come by to write this, so my apologies for the delay.

Wendy and Dipper had departed for the Mystery Shack, which was a short ten minute drive from the redhead's apartment in downtown Gravity Falls. The radio was set to an active rock station, which Wendy had blaring through the speakers of the small pickup truck. "Sorry dude, I was rocking out the other day and forgot to turn it down…" the auburn haired woman apologized to her companion. "It's cool… I kinda like it" the teenager shouted over the music. "In that case, we should totally catch a show sometime!" the young woman bellowed over the loud sound of a guitar solo. The pair of friends shared a similar taste in music, and enjoyed it as they headed towards their destination.

The emerald green pickup made the left hand turn off of Oregon Route 668 onto a dirt road that winded it's way through the dense forest. A few wooden signs directed the way to the Mystery Shack, which held a bit of a special meaning for Dipper. The signs had been hand painted by Mabel and himself the first summer that they had spent in the sleepy Northern Oregon town. Lost in his thoughts, the teenager had failed to notice that they had arrived at the Shack. Wendy glanced over and saw the brown haired teen staring out the passenger side window. "I know that look… you're thinking of something, aren't you?' asked Wendy in a soft voice. "Yeah… just on the drive up here I saw some of the signs Mabel and I painted…" the teen said with a bit of a sigh. Without saying a word, Wendy reached over from the driver's seat and gave Dipper a comforting hug. After breaking the embrace, both friends exited the vehicle and headed towards the front door of the Mystery Shack.

Wendy was first to climb the short set of steps and walk onto the familiar front porch. A wooden door with a stained glass window separated the pair from the inside of the building. Wendy and Dipper could faintly hear the muffled voices that belonged to friends and family. Wendy was first to open the door and entered the gift shop, which was the last place she had spoken to Mabel. Taking a moment to let the memories of summers gone by with the energetic teen girl flood back to her, Wendy paused her progress. Dipper walked past the auburn haired woman and towards the living quarters of the shack. Wendy returned to the present and followed the brown haired teen into the living room, which despite Stan moving out, had remained mostly the same; save for a newer flat screen television and gaming system. The teen boy next entered the kitchen, where Melody was fast at work finishing a delicious meal for the gathering of friends. Seated at the dining table were Soos, Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford, playing a game of cards while waiting for supper to begin.

"Hey guys, I'm home!" Dipper announced to the group. "Dipper, my boy, right on time!" Ford exclaimed with a boisterous voice. "I hope you brought your appetite dude! Melody's making her famous meatloaf…" Soos boomed from the other side of the room. "Now, Now, pipe down you two… I'm sure the kid's had a long day… Ain't that right?" Stan reminded the other two men as he asked the teen boy. The looks on Soos and Ford's faces became more sullen, expecting Dipper to still be in an ambivalent mood. Much to their pleasant surprise, a smile adorned the face of the seventeen year old boy.

Wendy meanwhile, had remained in the living room, waiting for Dipper to ask if it was alright for her to join them. She took a seat in Stan's recliner, which only a few years ago would have been a cardinal sin, but now was welcome. Looking at the pictures that decorated the wood paneled walls, the redhead was reminded of all the fun times the friends had experienced over the years. She could hear the familiar voices in the next room greeting the arrival of the remaining Mystery Twin.

"Actually Grunkle Stan, I had a pretty great day…" the teenager said in an upbeat voice. This fact shocked and pleased the group of men that sat at the table as well as Melody, who was still finishing dinner near the stove. "Take a seat and tell us all about it dude" Soos said as he offered a chair to the young man. "I will, in a minute, but first I need to ask you something…" the teenager said, which puzzled Stan, Ford and Soos. "Is it cool if a friend joins us tonight?" Dipper asked. "Of course it's alright!" a voice responded from the far side of the room. "I made more than enough for all of you, so by all means…" Melody said. "Hey, they said it's alright! C'mon in!" shouted Dipper towards the living room.

Melody, Soos, Stan, and Ford turned their attention to the kitchen entrance, waiting to see who Dipper had brought home. A familiar redhead appeared in the door frame, causing smiles to break out on the friend's faces. "Wendy! Oh my God, it's so good to see you!" Soos exclaimed as he shot up from the table, nearly flipping it over in the process. A grin came across Wendy's freckled face as the larger man rushed towards her and wrapped up the auburn haired woman in a bear hug. The joy was short lived, as Soos quickly put down the young woman, remembering that she had been injured less than a fortnight ago. "Oh man, I didn't hurt you, did I?" asked the concerned man. "Nah dude, you're good…" the young woman reassured her friend. "It's so great to see all of you guys!" Wendy said, as she began to smile yet again. "I love what you did with your hair!" Melody said as she left the oven unattended for a minute to walk over and greet her as well. While the two were not as close as some of the others in the room, Melody had grown to love her just the same and had become concerned for the officer in the days following the tragedy. "Thanks… I just felt like I needed to make a change, and I figured, what the hell?" Wendy said with a laugh. "Some of my best choices have been made my saying, 'what the hell?' and I'd like to say that I was right" the shorter brown haired woman said as she looked at her husband.

Melody resumed her final preparations for the dinner as Wendy took a seat at the table. While Dipper, Ford and Soos carried on a conversation about which dinosaur would win in a hypothetical fight, Stan placed one of his large hands on the flannel covered shoulder of the young woman. "You doing alright there kid?" asked the older man with a bit of concern in his voice. He knew what it felt like to have a sense of guilt over the loss of a loved one, although in the end it ended up working out and he had recovered his lost brother. "I'm doing a little better every day Stan… It still doesn't seem real though, ya know?" she asked the older man as she took a sip from a can of Pitt Cola. Wendy saw Stan as a sort of Grandfather like figure, where she could go to ask advice from someone with a lot of life experience and not much of a filter. "I know what you mean. When Ford got sucked up through that portal and sent who knows where, I didn't sleep for weeks. All I thought about was my brother, how I'd never see him again, and how it was my entire fault. I slowly learned though that the world is gonna move on with or without you and that the person you're grieving over would be upset if they knew you weren't living your life because of them. I missed him like hell, but I had to carry on… for both our sakes".

Wendy thought about what Stan had just said to her. It was uncanny how on the mark the older man always was with his words of wisdom. "You're right. You always are…" the auburn haired woman said as her eyes began to fill with tears. "Who? Me? Nah… You know what they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day…" Stan replied, trying to get a laugh out of the young woman, as he tended to feel a bit awkward in emotional situations. Instead, what the old man got was a tight hug from the green flannel wearing woman. "I'd rather get my time from this broken clock any day of the week" Wendy said, causing Stan to return the embrace. The debate over fighting dinosaurs had become heated, so the trio of men had decided to agree to disagree. "So, tell us about your day Dipper" Soos asked his good friend. "Well… I went and visited the bank, and to be honest, I got a little upset. I could still feel their presence there. I kinda lost it when I thought about that night… but then Wendy happened to walk by and took a seat next to me. She helped me calm down for a bit and then we went to visit Mabel and Pacifica. It got kinda cool out, so then we went back to Wendy's apartment and just kinda hung out" the teenager informed Ford, Stan and Soos. "It sure sounds like you had a full day" Ford said to his great nephew. "Yeah, to be honest I'm probably gonna sleep pretty well tonight" Dipper replied. "That's good to hear… trust me, sleep is important… if you don't get enough of it you'll end up looking like us two gargoyles…" Ford chuckled as Stan lightly punched him in the arm. "Speak for yourself four-eyes… I happen to be very good looking for my age" the grizzled man shot back at his twin brother as they shared a laugh.

"Alright, Alright! Break it up boys!... Time for dinner!" Melody playfully called from the kitchen. "Yes mother!" Stan sarcastically bellowed back in his trademark gravelly voice. Wendy got up from the table and walked over to see if she could help with anything. "Do you need an extra set of hands?" offered the redhead. "That would be wonderful. Thanks Wendy" Melody said to her guest. The auburn haired woman picked up a large plate with a meatloaf on it and proceeded to bring it over to the table as Melody followed with a large bowl of mashed potatoes. Dipper had gotten up to help as well, bringing over a bowl of green beans and gravy to the table. The trio joined the three men already seated. Just as the group was about to descend on the food before them Dipper raised his glass of Pitt Cola up. "Guys… I'd just like to say that we all know it's been a tough couple of weeks, but that as long as we stick together we can make it through. We all lost someone that unfortunate day, be it a great niece, a good friend, a sister, or a girlfriend. We are, however, united here today in the fact that we will never, ever forget them and what they mean to us. Here's to Mabel and Pacifica… gone, but never forgotten" the brown haired teen toasted. "To Mabel and Pacifica!" the five additional friends toasted before knocking glasses together.

Throughout the meal, tales and memories of the teenage girls' lives were shared. Sometimes there were laughs; other times a few tears shed. The evening stretched on and the group began to have a few drinks. Ford excused himself, as his studies of the abnormal had left him a bit sleep deprived lately. As Soos was retrieving a few beers from the fridge Wendy asked for one as well. "You aren't twenty one yet, are you kid?" asked Stan to the auburn haired woman. "Nope… but what am I gonna do, arrest myself?" she asked with a chuckle. "Damn… I forgot you're a cop now… you know, some of those stories I was telling you about earlier could land me in jail…" the older man said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Well… First of all… I'm technically not an officer right now… and second of all, even if I was, I didn't hear anything you said earlier…" the redhead said as she shot a wink to Stan. "I knew I liked you for a reason…" the bespectacled man said to the young woman. The two shared a laugh as the group moved to the living room for a video game tournament between Dipper and Soos that was about to begin…


	8. Chapter 8

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Eight

Author's Note: I was feeling inspired and had some free time, so here is Chapter Eight! I really enjoy reading the comments that you leave on my stories, so feel free to do so. I may wrap this story up in a few chapters, but I will keep with the overall story and maybe do a few time jumps in future stories.

After a few rounds of video game battle, the night began to draw to a close. Melody had been the first of the friends to call it a night, as she had to wake up early the next morning to run the Mystery Shack. The cheery woman was soon followed by her husband Soos, who also had to prepare for a full day of work in the morning. Stan had managed to stay up pretty late, but finally gave in to his tiredness. This left Wendy and Dipper alone in the living room, sharing the old cloth couch. The teenage boy switched the television from the news that Stan had been watching to a show about hunting ghosts. While this drew Dipper's attention, Wendy was less enthusiastic about the show he had selected. The auburn haired woman felt her eyelids becoming heavier and heavier as she politely tried to fight off the sleepiness that she knew was inevitable.

Dipper was lost in the latest episode of Ghost Seekers, oblivious to the fact that Wendy had fallen asleep right beside him. The show had gone to commercial and a slight humming sound was heard coming from his side. It was Wendy, who had begun to snore slightly. The brown haired teen smiled as he observed the auburn haired woman resting next to him. He couldn't help but think of how cute she looked when she was asleep. The teenager was awash in feelings, as he had reignited his passion for Wendy throughout the course of the day. He had at one point had an infatuation with the freckled young woman, but had given up on those feelings when he learned they weren't mutual almost five years ago. The young man had gone on to fall in love with Pacifica Northwest and had begun to plan his future with the blonde heiress. Dipper felt that he had perhaps gotten over the death of his girlfriend a little too quickly and was unsure if he was quite ready to have any sort of feelings for anyone else. Despite having his first good day since the tragic events of nearly two weeks ago, the brown haired teen still harbored those feelings of regret, doubt and loss. Wendy had made those feelings go away, and he felt as if he could begin to move on with his life as long as he had the auburn haired woman by his side.

Dipper began to fall asleep and soon he had joined Wendy with his slight snoring. The redhead, meanwhile, had begun to dream. She found herself in the same familiar spot her dreams had taken her in the last few weeks. There she was again, hiding behind the open door of her police cruiser with her against it as a single shot rang out. The young officer turned around just in time to hear a second muffled gunshot and see Pacifica Northwest collapse onto the granite steps of the building. The blonde woman had a large wound in her chest as crimson blood began to flow like a river, creating a horrific waterfall that cascaded down each step of the stairs. She saw the terrified look on Mabel's face as she bravely rushed towards her fallen friend, before being pulled back by Robbie, who had an unsettlingly cold look on his face. A second shot rang out as Robbie fell to a knee, having been stuck by a bullet from one of the officers. The bright pink sweater clad Mabel took the opportunity to try and escape the grasp of Robbie and run to the safety of the officers below. Robbie's cold look suddenly ignited into a red hot rage as he began to wildly shoot at the officers. Wendy's attention was on the young brunette when she saw the teenager stumble and collapse to the granite below. Wendy knew that her friend had been struck by a bullet intended for Robbie, and that she had to do something to try and save both her and Pacifica. Disregarding her own wellbeing, the young officer stepped out from behind the safety of her cruiser's door and towards the pair of fallen teen girls. A sharp pain suddenly greeted the redhead on the side of her head as she continued to try and make her way to her friends. A burst of what felt like punches hit Wendy in her torso and robbed her of the breath she so desperately needed. The world began to fade around her as she fell to the concrete sidewalk. The last things the redhead heard as she fell unconscious were a call of "Officer Down!" and a hail of gunfire.

Wendy had tossed and turned while the nightmare played on in her head. "Nooo!" the auburn haired girl shouted as she shot up from the cloth couch, tossing a blanket off of her and onto the floor. The young woman was drenched in sweat as she placed a hand to her chest to try and calm herself down. Dipper stirred from his slumber; opening his eyes to see a frightened Wendy sitting upright on the couch. "Wendy, are you alright?" the concerned young man asked groggily. A light switch had been flicked on in the kitchen as frantic footsteps headed towards the living room. Soos was first to arrive, adorned in shorts, his trademark green Mystery Shack t-shirt and a red plaid robe. The bluish glow of the television illuminated the room, casting shadows on both Dipper and Wendy. Melody was next to arrive to the room, wearing a soft pink robe. "What happened? Is everyone okay?" asked Melody as she looked for anything out of the ordinary. Wendy had remained silent, having raised her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"I think Wendy just had a nightmare" Dipper said to the concerned couple. "Y-Yeah…" the auburn haired woman said in an unusually soft and timid voice as tears streamed freely from her eyes. The glow of the television had cast shadow on the freckled face of the young officer, highlighting the bags that had begun to develop under her eyes in the past few weeks. Nights like this were common for Wendy, as she had been unable to get a full night's sleep without passing out from drinking. Dipper moved closer to the redhead and placed an arm around the clearly traumatized woman. Soos turned on the lights in the living room as Wendy began to calm down. Melody had left the room for a moment to grab a glass of water for the troubled young officer. "It's okay Wendy, you're here with friends…" Soos tried to reassure his good friend. The green flannel wearing woman tried to acknowledge her friend's statement, but could only muster a small nod of her head.

Melody returned with the glass of water and offered it to Wendy, which she gladly accepted. Taking a swig of the cool water, the auburn haired woman began to speak. "I-I'm so sorry for waking you guys… I… I just guess I had a nightmare about that day… I-It was just so real… I keep thinking every time I have this nightmare that I can change things… make them right, ya know? That maybe one time it won't be a dream. But every damn time it turns out the same way…" the young woman said with a hint of frustration in her voice as fresh tears cascaded down her face. "A-And I think… If I could have just shot that motherfucker first, instead of hiding behind my door, that Mabel and Pacifica could be here right now with us… an-and… and we could all just have the summer we all wanted to have…" Wendy said as she began to hyperventilate again. "Wendy… you did all you could. Anyone who has ever had something tragic happen can say that if they could only go back with what they know now they could change things and make them better… but we can't…" the brown haired teenager said as he ran his hand up and down the back of his friend.

"I-I know Dip… I know… but I still think I could have done more… If only I wasn't so damn selfish!" the redhead said with an angry voice. "Dude, you're like the least selfish person I know… you're a good friend and you tried… I'm sure they know that and just want you to be okay" Soos said to his shaken friend.

"Have you tried talking to someone about this? I-I mean someone who knows more about this than we do?" asked Melody. Wendy shook her head no. She was embarrassed that she was couldn't do something on her own. The young woman took an extreme amount of pride in being tough and self-reliant and didn't want to seek the help of anyone in dealing with her problems, least of all some doctor who didn't know her or her friends, what they've been through and how much they meant to her. Wendy didn't like these nightmares and feelings she was having however and conceded that maybe it was time to seek some outside help, as drinking away her problems would only be a temporary solution that would cause more problems than it would solve.

"Thanks for your concern guys, but I'll be alright… I'm sorry again that I woke you. I-I should probably see myself out…" Wendy said as she stood up and wiped the tears from her face. "Nonsense! You're spending the night here, and that's final!" Melody said in uncharacteristically stern tone. The redhead turned her head to look at the shorter woman. "Besides, it's like three-thirty in the morning… so, just get comfortable and rest. We'll have breakfast in the morning and get ready for the day…" the woman continued. "Alright… And thanks guys… I-I think I'll find someone to talk to about all this…" the young woman said as she shed her green flannel shirt and sat back down on the couch. "See you guys in the morning…" Soos tiredly said as both he and his wife headed back to bed.

Wendy had begun to get settled on the couch as she pulled the blanket over herself. "I'm not letting you sleep on the couch…" Dipper said to the young woman. "Really Dip, it's cool…" the auburn haired woman said to her friend. "No, it's not. I've slept on that couch when Mabel had Candy and Grenda over before and trust me, it's a one way ticket to jacked up neck city… You can sleep in my bed tonight… I mean, we already crashed in yours today" the brown haired teen said with a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" Wendy said with a sigh. Dipper grasped the hand of the young woman and guided her towards his bedroom. "Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting anybody" the teen said as he opened the door and flipped on the light switch, revealing a somewhat messy room. Wendy figured that it was still pretty clean for a teenage boy's room, as some of her boyfriend's rooms should have been considered federal superfund cleanup sites. A small desk resided in the corner of the room, with a slew of notebooks and papers haphazardly covering it. A corkboard hung above the desk, with miscellaneous papers, strings and thumbtacks decorating it. A suitcase sat in the middle of the floor, with various articles of clothing lying around it. Dipper's bed was on the far side of the room, against the wall. It was unmade and looked like it had been left in a hurry the previous morning. On the nightstand was an alarm clock, some pill bottles, and a glass of flat water.

Wendy walked over while Dipper attempted to tidy up the room a bit. The bottles that rest on the table troubled the young woman. "Is Dipper abusing prescription drugs to deal with things?" she thought to herself. Picking one up, a sense of relief came over the redhead as she saw they were prescribed to Mason Pines. Dipper had turned around and saw one of his pill bottles in the slender woman's hand. "It's an anti-anxiety prescription, in case you were worrying…" the teenager said with a flat voice. "You see… when you face the end of the world and are almost killed every day for an entire summer, it tends to mess you up a little in the head" the young man continued. "I thought I could handle it all, but it just made me worse. I was acting way different than usual when I got back to Piedmont that first autumn and it finally took me snapping at Mabel for no reason for me to realize I had a problem. I went to the doctor and they said I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and anxiety issues. Ever since I began treatment, I feel like myself again. I have to say, I'd be afraid of what I might have done if I wasn't taking these when Mabel and Pacifica passed away…" Dipper said with a sullen voice. "Dude, I had no idea. I didn't mean to offend you if you took it that way…" Wendy said with an apologetic tone. "No offense taken… I just think that after what you told me today, that if I hadn't sought help that I might have tried what you did..." the teenager said. "That's why I think it's important that you do talk to someone about it… I-I kinda really like you… a-and I want you to be around for a while…" Dipper said as his face became red and he stared towards the ground. "I-I like you a lot too dude… and… I promise I'll go and get help for this… You have my word…" the auburn haired woman said as she looked into Dipper's eyes.

"By the way, I got you something more comfortable to sleep in…" the brown haired teen said as he tried to change the subject. He held a pair of red shorts and a white t-shirt in his hands. "Thanks man… Sleeping in jeans isn't the most comfortable thing in the world" the young woman said as she began to undo her belt. Dipper turned away to give the young woman some privacy, which drew a laugh from Wendy. "I appreciate it, but I think you've already seen just about all of it…" the redhead said to the teenager. "Yeah… sorry… force of habit I guess…" the brown haired boy sheepishly said. Wendy pulled the grey cotton t-shirt over her head to reveal her red and black plaid bra for the second time to Dipper. The bra quickly became unfastened and joined the shirt in a heap on the floor. The freckled and pale chest of Wendy Corduroy was once again on full display for the teenage boy, who realized that this wasn't the time or place to act on his feelings. Luckily for him, the auburn haired woman pulled the white cotton t-shirt he had given her over her breasts, once again concealing them. The redhead unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down her slender legs; stepping out of them and placing them in the pile as well. They were quickly replaced by the red shorts dipper had supplied.

Wendy had turned around just in time to see the teenager remove his jeans. "I hope you don't mind, but I don't like to sleep in shorts" Dipper said to the young woman. "Yeah… that's fine" the redhead said as a small smile appeared on her face. The pair of friends climbed into bed as Dipper reached over and grabbed one of his pill bottles. Opening it up, he removed a single small white pill and grasped the glass of water with his other hand. Placing the tablet in his mouth he took a gulp of the water and washed the medicine down his throat. After replacing the bottle and glass on the table, the teenager turned off the lights and set the alarm on his phone. "Is eight thirty too early for you?" he quietly asked the young woman who lay next to him. After not receiving a response, Dipper turned over and found that the redhead had fallen fast asleep. A smile came across the young man's face as he drifted off to sleep. "I could get used to this" were his last thoughts before he succumbed to his slumber.


	9. Chapter 9

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Nine

Author's note: Thanks for all your views, follows, and reviews! Feel free to give me feedback. I love hearing from my readers. I'm really enjoying writing this story and think it has a lot of places to go still. This chapter takes place on a Friday, with the party they were invited to by Nate set to take place Saturday night. That should be a fun chapter to write. Standard I don't own Gravity Falls and all the legal crap.

Soos's alarm went off as daylight began to filter through the windows of the Mystery Shack. The red numerals on the clock displayed '7:35am' to the former handyman and current Mr. Mystery. After showering and getting dressed in his suit, the larger man exited his bedroom to grab a bite to eat before opening the tourist attraction at nine. Melody had already awoken nearly an hour earlier and had just finished preparing a large breakfast when her husband walked into the kitchen. "Good morning hun" the light brown haired woman said. "Good morning" Soos replied, followed by a kiss to his wife's lips. "How'd you sleep?" the larger man asked Melody. "To be honest… I've had better night's rest…" she said hesitantly to the love of her life. "Why's that?" asked the concerned man. "Well… I was just worried about Wendy was all… I mean, that poor girl. She's blaming herself for what happened to Mabel and Pacifica, when we all know whose fault it really was" Melody replied with an uncharacteristic hint of anger in her voice.

Mr. Mystery put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "You're a good friend for worrying… I think deep down inside Wendy knows that she did all she could, but I think it was just the fact that she saw them… she saw them get shot that really upsets her…" the large man said as he struggled to complete his statement, trying not to get upset himself at the thought of seeing his two good friends getting shot to death. He was saddened by the fact that Mabel wouldn't be showing up today or any other day with a wacky idea of how to have fun and that Pacifica wouldn't be around to give him unsolicited, albeit good hearted fashion advice. "Yeah… I think that's it too… I just hope she listens to us and gets some help. I mean, if she's embarrassed about it, heck… half this town has been in therapy from that thing that happened a few years ago…" Melody noted. "Yeah… I mean, the end of the world can be a hard thing to get over… couple that with seeing what she saw a few weeks ago and that can't be good for ya…" Soos said.

"If you keep an eye on this, I'll wake everyone up for breakfast" Melody offered to her husband. "Yeah, I can do that…" he said to his wife. The sandalwood haired woman left the room, but stuck her head back through the door frame. "By the way, I counted how many pieces of bacon I cooked, so don't go stealing any while I'm gone…" she instructed the suited man. "Okay" Mr. Mystery replied with a muffled voice as he tried to quickly chew the piece of bacon he had already pilfered from the stack. Melody's first stop was the living room to check on Wendy. Looking at the couch, she took note of the redhead's absence. She walked to the window and checked to see if the young woman's truck was in the parking lot. Sure enough, it was, which relieved the tan skinned woman. "She must be in the bathroom or something" Melody thought to herself.

Her next stop took the woman to Dipper's room. She rapped lightly on the door, which was usually enough to wake the teenage boy, as he had trained himself to become a light sleeper in the wake of Weirdmageddon. After waiting a minute, the light brown haired woman quietly opened the bedroom door. Melody turned to look at the bed, spotting the young man in the far corner of the room, still fast asleep. She walked over and extended her arm to wake the teen, when she observed that he was not alone in the bed. His arm was draped over a familiar redhead that lay next to him. Thinking better of it, Melody left the two alone and closed the door. She walked down the hallway and was about to knock on Stan and Ford's room when she heard one of the elderly twins saying something. Satisfied that they were awake, Melody made her way back to the kitchen, where to her surprise, Soos had set the table and plated the meals for everyone.

"So, is everybody up?" asked Mr. Mystery to his wife. "Well… not _exactly_?" Melody said in an unsure tone as she shrugged her shoulders. "I went to check on Wendy and she wasn't on the couch, so I figured she was already awake and in the bathroom or something. I went to wake Dipper up and he didn't yell like he normally does when I knock on his door, so I went in. Well… I found him fast asleep in his bed… Oh, and I found Wendy as well…" she said with a slight grin. It was no secret to either member of the Ramirez family that there were feelings between the two friends. While Soos was a bit concerned that Dipper had lost his girlfriend less than two weeks ago, he had an inkling that in the town of Gravity Falls if Pacifica wasn't alright with it she would have made it known from beyond the grave.

Stan was the first to enter the kitchen and sit at the table. He was adorned in his classic attire of an undershirt and striped boxer shorts. Ford followed his twin brother to the table, dressed in black sleep pants and a white t-shirt. "So, where are the kids? Their food's going to get cold and eaten if they don't get out here soon" Stan said to Soos as he took a seat. "Well, uh, Mr. Pines… We decided to let them sleep in a little bit later. Ya see, they fell asleep on the couch last night and early this morning Wendy had a nightmare that woke us all up. She looked terrible, so I want her to get some proper rest" the larger man said to his former employer. "Huh… I thought that coyote sounded weird… Well… I guess that makes sense, but what about Dipper? The boy's skinny enough to begin with, so he shouldn't be skipping meals" Stan said to the suit wearing man. "Yeah… that _might_ be kinda a problem… Ya see… Dipper _kinda_ let Wendy share his bed, so… _yeah_ …" Soos informed his father figure, hoping he had conveyed his message the right way. Sometimes it was hard for Stan to catch on to things, as he tended to think in a literal sense.

"Big whoop! If they're not out here in five minutes, they forfeit their food to me" Stan said as he stuffed his mouth with some scrambled eggs. "Don't count on that" Dipper said as he stood in the entrance to the kitchen. "Damn!" said Stan dejectedly as he continued to eat his meal. Ford and Soos shared a chuckle at Stan's foiled plan. The teenager, who had thrown on some red plaid sleep pants, sat down at the table and reached for the pitcher of coffee. "So, ya sleep well Dipper?" asked Stan with a sly grin. "Yeah… actually I did for once" the brown haired teen replied after taking a sip of the dark drink. Dipper had grown to enjoy java over the years, as he had used it as a stimulant while trying to stay awake during Weirdmageddon. It was a little bit odd for a teenager to have acquired a taste for the decidedly adult beverage. "How's Wendy?" asked Soos through a mouthful of food. Dipper was unsure of how to answer his question, as he was sure if it was mentioned that the two had shared his bed, that certain things would be inferred from it. After taking a minute to think about it the brown haired teen was about to state his reply when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I'm pretty good. I ended up getting some good rest" Wendy informed her friend. The redhead donned the white t-shirt and red shorts that Dipper had loaned her to sleep in. Wendy had borrowed one of Mabel's hairbrushes from the bathroom to straighten out her auburn mane. The young woman took a seat at the table and poured a cup full of java. Adding a little bit of sugar to the dark drink, she blew into the ceramic mug before taking a swig of the drink. After a few minutes of relative silence as the group focused on eating their meal, Mr. Mystery broke the silence. "So… uh… Dipper. Can you help me out at The Shack today? I've got a few large groups coming through today and I haven't really had the time yet to find some new help" the larger man asked his teenage friend. "Yeah… I don't know if I can replace Mabel and Pacifica, but I'll help you out the best I can" the brown haired teen said with a friendly smile. "Count me in too, dude" Wendy said from the far end of the table. She saw it as an excuse to hang out with Dipper and as a way to keep from spending all day inside her apartment drinking. "A-Are you sure? I-I mean, you don't have to…" Soos asked the young woman. He appreciated the help, as he would need every bit of it, but worried if Wendy was ready for the large crowds and frantic pace.

"Soos, dude, I'm sure… It's a good way to stay busy and I'm always down to help a friend" the redhead reassured her good friend. "Thanks guys!" the suit wearing man exclaimed. "Hey! Maybe the original Mr. Mystery can come out of retirement for a little bit" Stan said with a chuckle. "Let the kid run the show" Ford interjected before Soos could reply. "Besides, we need to pack Stanley. We're leaving Monday morning, remember?" the bespectacled man reminded his twin. "Alright, Alright! You win!" Stan said to his brother as he twisted his arm around his back sarcastically. After the meal, Dipper grabbed a quick shower. The teenage boy headed back to his room to get dressed, as Wendy was next to immerse herself in the warm water and get cleaned up. Wendy got out of the shower and dried her hair, which much to her pleasure now took far less time to dry and brush. Grabbing a bright pink robe from the hook on the back of the bathroom door, which no doubt belonged to Mabel, the young woman made her way back to Dipper's bedroom, where she could retrieve her clothing she had shed the night before.

Wendy opened the bedroom door to find the teenager pulling a dark grey shirt over his head. The young woman took in the sight of his lean and muscular mid-section for a fleeting second before it was concealed by the dark cotton. The redhead walked over to the edge of the bed and retrieved her undergarments from the pile that she had formed the night before. Untying the robe, she pulled it off her slender frame and tossed it on the bed. Dipper turned to see the auburn haired woman completely nude in front of him. The teenager tried not to stare, but was taken by her beauty. Freckles adorned nearly every part of her porcelain skin like stars in the night sky. The young woman pulled her red plaid panties up her slender legs in an agonizingly slow manner for Dipper. The teenager watched as Wendy retrieved her matching bra from the wooden floor of the room and placed it over her breasts. The redhead finished getting dressed in her jeans, light grey t-shirt and green flannel shirt before walking over and planting her lips on Dipper's. "Ya know… it's kinda rude to stare" Wendy said to the teenager after breaking the kiss. The brown haired teen felt embarrassed having been caught looking at his crush. Wendy leaned in and placed her mouth mere inches from Dipper's ear. "Good thing I don't care about politeness" the redhead said with a sultry voice and a coy smile.

The two found themselves in a now familiar situation as they began to kiss and run their hands over each other's bodies. Wendy sat Dipper on the bed, having learned from her mistake she made the previous day. The auburn haired woman kissed the young man as they fell back into the bed. Dipper had begun to kiss the neck of his crush as the redhead let out muted moans of pleasure, trying her best to not alert the other inhabitants of the home to their activities. She began to pull up the teenager's shirt when the bedroom door began to open. "Dippe-… oh… my…" the voice of Melody said before the door slammed shut. Both Wendy and Dipper's faces turned a crimson red as they had been caught making out. "I-I should go talk to her…" the teenage boy said as he arose from the mattress. Wendy nodded as she grabbed her arm awkwardly while biting her lower lip out of nervousness.

Dipper tracked down the light brown haired woman in the living room. "Hey… I'm sorry you saw that…" the taller teenage boy said to his good friend's wife. "I-It's alright… you guys are young… and full of all these feelings… be-besides… It's not like you're the only couple in this house who does that" Melody said as she tried to comfort the clearly embarrassed boy. "Just next time, lock the door hun…" the understanding woman said with a wink as she headed off to the gift shop. Wendy had joined Dipper in the living room, placing a hand on his back. "So… _that_ was awkward…" the redhead said with a chuckle. "Tell me about it… Anyways, ready for a shift at the Mystery Shack?" asked Dipper. "Yeah… It'll be fun" the redhead said with a smile. The pair headed off the gift shop to relive memories of working together in summers gone by.


	10. Chapter 10

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Ten

Authors Note: I know where I want to go in this story, but at times have struggled a bit to figure out how to get there. I'm just trying to really get into how someone who can be seen as strong can really be just as susceptible to hurt and pain as the rest of us. As always, feedback and reviews are welcomed. I must say how blown away I am that people in places as far away as the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada read what I write. It means a lot to me and I hope that you all enjoy the latest chapter in what I may start calling the "Shooting Star Falls Universe". I'm also excited to see if Mabel's Cursed Coloring Book will continue the trend of having the books add to the Gravity Falls canon. Standard I don't own Gravity Falls or anything to do with it legal stuff.

Dipper and Wendy entered the familiar gift shop that they had both previously worked in. Melody was stationed at the register and Soos was standing right outside the front door, greeting a large group of tourists. Ever since the events of Weirdmageddon nearly five years ago, the area had become over run with outsiders who had heard things about the small Northern Oregon town and wanted to experience it for themselves. Since taking over the Mystery Shack from Stan, Soos had tried to add a bit of legitimacy to the roadside attraction. With the help of Ford and Dipper, he had managed to do just that. Grunkle Stan had thought the change in 'creative direction' would doom the business, but much to his surprise the new business model of not trying to rip customers off was a wild success. Unknown to Dipper, Mabel, or even their parents, Stan and Soos had decided set up a college fund with the newly found windfall of profits. After saving up enough money for both of the twins to attend any college they could ever dream of, the pair started thinking bigger. A trust had been set up for when Dipper and Mabel turned twenty four that could be used for whatever their hearts desired. Sadly, Mabel would never get to use a dime to fulfill her dreams of opening her very own arts and crafts store, which would feature a line of sweaters co-designed by both her and Pacifica.

The rush of customers came through the front door of the gift shop and for the next few hours the pair of friends worked to sell most everything they could to the tourists. It had become late afternoon by the time the crowds had thinned and the group of friends could catch their breath. While Melody took a much needed break, Wendy returned to her old post at the cash register. Dipper pulled out his phone and took a picture of the auburn haired woman with her feet kicked up on the counter and face buried in a magazine. The scene was almost an exact replica of the first time he had set eyes on Wendy nearly five years ago. Soos entered the gift shop and walked over to the door, flipping the sign on it from 'open' to 'closed'. "Dudes, I gotta hand it to ya… I couldn't have done it without you today… I still need to find some more permanent help though…" the larger man said while stroking his chin with his hand. "Well… until then I can hang out and help" offered the redhead to Mr. Mystery. "Th-Thanks Wendy… but don't you have to go back to work at the station soon?" asked Soos. "No… Not for a while… I mean… That's if… I-I even want to…" the young woman said with an unsure voice that seemed out of character for her in Soos' opinion. The larger man hadn't seen the side of Wendy that Dipper had and was unaware of the fact that the officer had attempted to take her life the night of the tragedy.

"Well… there will always be a spot for you here at the Mystery Shack if you want" Soos offered to the auburn haired woman. "Thanks dude… That means a lot to me. To be honest… I don't know what I wanna do right now. You know, I think it sucks that I thought I knew what I wanted to do in life… a-… and now… I-I…" the redhead said before pausing to collect herself; a few tears escaping her eyes despite her best efforts to retain them. Dipper and Soos walked over to the upset woman and embraced her as she continued to sit on the chair behind the register. "It's alright to be unsure of things right now… I think we all are a little bit. I-I mean… I figured that we'd spend the whole summer together having these fun adventures and whatnot… and now… I don't know what's gonna happen" Dipper said as he tried to validate the feelings that his crush had. "I-I mean… part of me really just wanted to leave this town and never, ever come back. I just wanted to go home and go back to my normal and boring life in California… I realized that I should be here though, and I-I think… I think that Mabel and Pacifica would do the same if it had been us who… who were killed instead" the brown haired teenager continued. Wendy returned the embrace that her two friends had given her as she let the tears openly cascade down her cheeks. "If… If I can be honest… I-I really wish it was me… I-I… I wish that he shot and killed me instead. Tho-Those two girls… they didn't deserve that…" the redhead trailed off as she began to hyperventilate. Her emotions had gotten the best of her and the young woman was mortified that yet another friend had seen her break. The auburn haired woman was riddled with guilt and remorse. "I thought I was done with all of this crap!" Wendy lamented herself in her head.

The young woman shot up from her chair and ran towards the exit of the gift shop, her hands covering her now red eyes. Making it to the door, the young woman unclipped the car keys from a belt loop on her jeans as she opened the door and sprinted outside to her pickup truck. Dipper and Soos followed in hot pursuit as the young woman had taken her seat inside the emerald painted vehicle. Wendy jabbed the key into the ignition and the truck roared to life. The pair of friends made it to the parking lot just in time to see the vehicle take off down the dirt road that led away from the Mystery Shack. Not missing a beat, Soos threw his car keys to the brown haired teenager. Dipper was not ready for the keys and was unable to catch them as they fell to the ground with a thud. "Dude, make sure she's okay…" Mr. Mystery shouted to his best friend.

With a nod of his head Dipper headed towards the somewhat small car and pickup hybrid that Soos called his own. Placing the key into the ignition, Dipper started the truck and began his search for Wendy. While driving down the dirt road in a manner that would make a rallycross driver jealous, a thought entered his head. What if he found the redhead like he had found Pacifica a few years ago? That night stuck out in the brown haired teenager's memory as he pursued his crush. He had been caught making out with Tambry, causing an upset Pacifica to take off into the night with a bottle of cheap vodka and her convertible muscle car. Dipper and Mabel had tried to follow the blonde heiress's trail and ended up finding her car wrecked down a hillside in the woods. The sight of the young woman's battered and bruised face had scarred the then fifteen year old boy. Although Pacifica would make a quick recovery and the two ended up professing their attraction to each other in a hospital room that night, the now young man knew that it could have turned out quite differently and was afraid that it might become the fate of Wendy.

The young suspended officer continued to wipe tears from her eyes as she raced down the streets of Gravity Falls, disregarding speed limits and the rules of the road as she just wanted to get away from it all. After deciding not to follow in her family's footsteps of becoming a lumberjack, the young woman had wrestled with what to do with her life. She had strongly leaned towards joining the army, but decided against doing so because she would be away from her teenage brothers, who she thought could use a good female role model in their life due to the passing of their mother when they were younger. Still wanting to protect the citizens of town she called home, the young redhead had applied to the Gravity Falls Police Department. After overcoming some doubts about her abilities, the auburn haired woman won over the chief of police and graduated from the academy, becoming Gravity Falls' first female officer. While she found the job to be mundane and repetitive at times, she enjoyed that she could keep an eye on the town she loved. That all changed the fateful day that Robbie decided to hold up the Northwest National Bank and forever change the lives of nearly every member of the town. The town she was once sworn to protect now felt like it was attacking her. The comments hurt her worse than any bullet ever could and the reminders of her lost friends were too much for the young woman to bear.

The distraught young woman turned her truck into the alleyway behind her apartment and slammed on the brakes. The vehicle shuddered to a stop as the tires slid across the asphalt. The driver's side door of the truck flew open and Wendy rushed out; fumbling with her keys as she searched for the one that would unlock her front door. After opening the door, the slender redhead sprinted up the flight of stairs to her apartment and quickly opened the main door to her inhabitance. She made her way to the kitchen and pulled on the door of the refrigerator, desperately seeking the elixir that would help her numb the pain. Having found the cardboard case of aluminum cans, she slammed the fridge closed and ran to the front door. Closing and locking it, she made her way down the stairs and to the front door. The young woman threw the heavy cardboard box of cans onto the passenger side of the seat, jumped into her emerald pickup truck and jabbed her key into the ignition. With a turn, the vehicle roared to life once again. The distraught nineteen year old woman made her way onto Northwest Boulevard, the main street through downtown Gravity Falls.

Dipper raced to find the upset redhead as he wheeled the mini truck with all his might. Arriving at the apartment of Wendy Corduroy, the young man exited the still running vehicle and sprinted towards the front door. After pounding on the wooden door a few times, the brown haired teenager came to the conclusion that his crush was not home. "Where else could she have gone?" asked the teen boy aloud to himself. He scoured his mind trying to think of a place where she may have retreated to. The brown haired seventeen year old was worried about she might do if given enough time alone, as she had revealed an attempted suicide to him the previous day. Determined to not lose another loved one, Dipper set off in search of Wendy.

An emerald green pickup truck shot down the street as Tambry looked on in astonishment. The violet haired woman figured the vehicle had to have been traveling at almost fifty miles per hour, nearly twice the posted speed limit of twenty five miles per hour. "That wasn't?... Nah, it couldn't be… Maybe it was?" the olive skinned girl thought to herself. She knew that Wendy owned a green truck, but figured that as an officer of the law that she would obey the rules of the road. The young woman pulled out her cell phone and went to recent contacts. Selecting the image of her smiling redhead friend, she pressed 'Call'. The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. "Hey… Waddup? You've reached Wendy… Guess I couldn't answer? Leave a message and I'll get back with ya" the message said as a shrill beep followed. "Wendy… It's Tambry… I thought I just saw you drive past going really fast… It probably wasn't you, but if it was, please call me. Ya know what? Even if it wasn't you, please call me… I wanna talk… Oh, and by the way… You're totally coming to the party this weekend… Tell Dipper to come too! Okay, gotta go… Love Ya!" the young woman said as she ended the call.

Wendy turned off of Northwest Boulevard and onto a side street that led up a hill. After about a half a mile's drive, the young redhead drove through the main entrance of the Gravity Falls Cemetery. Parking her truck at the base of a particularly steep hill, the auburn haired woman exited her vehicle with the case of beer. Making the trek past several dozen headstones, Wendy reached her destination. She sat down against the pink stone marker, took a small black folding knife out of her pocket, cut the cardboard package open and removed an aluminum can. Pulling the metal tab backwards, the can cracked as a hole was punched in the top. After taking a few swigs, the young woman began to speak. "Mabel… I-I know I promised you … but I can't do this… I just can't. I can't go back to being a cop anymore. I can't go back to the laid back, slacker of a girl that you knew. What happened changed me. I-I tried… I tried to be strong…" the young woman said as she finished the first beer and opened another. The redhead turned around to read the inscription once again. "In Memory of A Beautiful And Creative Young Woman Stolen From Us Far Too Soon. Mabel Ariel Pines August 31st, 1999 – June 3rd, 2016 A Beloved Daughter, Twin Sister, Friend and Hero to the Town Of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Our Shooting Star" the auburn haired woman read aloud as she traced the inscription with her hand.

Tears streamed down the freckled face of the upset woman as her phone buzzed in her pocket. "Sorry, Mabes… I gotta take this" she said to the tombstone as she removed the phone from her pocket. It was a missed call and voicemail from her best friend Tambry. After listening to the message, the redhead hit a button to return the call. After a few rings, the call was answered. "Hello?" asked the voice on the receiving end of the call. "H-Hey Tambry… I-It's Wendy… I'm just… I'm just returning your call…" the redhead trailed off as she continued to sob. "Wendy… are you alright? Are you hurt? Wendy?" asked the familiar voice in a panic. "I-I've been better Tambers… I-I just… I just… wanna make it all go away…" the young woman cried into the phone after taking yet another gulp of beer. "Wendy… dude… where are you?" asked a very concerned Tambry to her best friend. "I-I'm with Mabel and Pacifica…" the young woman said between breaths, as she had begun to hyperventilate yet again. "O-Okay… sit tight girl… I'll be right there…" Tambry said in a reassuring voice.

The call had ended as Wendy hung up on her best friend. Normally, Tambry would have been livid at this, but now she was concerned for her lifelong best friend. Dipper continued down the road as he frantically searched for Wendy. A purple headed pedestrian caught his eyes as he drove down the road. Pulling to the side, the teenager put the truck into park and leaned over to roll down the passenger side window. "Tambry?! " the teenage boy shouted from the stationary vehicle. The violet haired teen turned around and spotted the familiar face of Dipper Pines. It had been a couple of weeks since she had last talked to the teenager at his sister's funeral. "Dipper!" the olive skinned woman replied as she walked over to the somewhat rusted truck. "Hey… I think Wendy's in trouble… we have to find her!" the brown haired teen exclaimed to the young woman. "I-I just spoke to her… Sh-She's at the cemetery… " the violet haired woman informed the teen. "C'mon" the brown haired boy offered as he unlocked the passenger side door. Getting into the vehicle, the pair raced towards the final resting place of Mabel Ariel Pines and Pacifica Elise Northwest, hoping that their friend was alright.


	11. Chapter 11

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Eleven

Sorry for the wait on this chapter, life has been hectic, as usual. I just want to reiterate how amazed I am that you guys take the time to read something that I've wrote. While I'm still just beginning as a writer and am trying to find my voice, it really encourages me that people want to read what I create. As always, feedback, suggestions and reviews are always welcome and will be read by me. Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoy.

Standard I don't own Gravity Falls and all that legal crap.

Wendy Corduroy opened another beer as a cloud blocked the sunlight that had been bathing both her as well as the graves of Pacifica Elise Northwest and Mabel Ariel Pines. After taking a swig of the alcohol, the redhead placed the aluminum can on the pink stone base of her good friend's headstone and picked up the folding knife she had used to open the cardboard case. Flicking the handle, the blade swung out and snapped into place with a click. The young woman glanced at the sharp point of the metallic object, which still managed to catch a hint of the quickly retreating sunlight. Much like the dark clouds beginning to form overhead the auburn haired woman, dark thoughts began to enter her troubled mind. "It'd be so easy" the young woman thought to herself as she glanced down at a petite porcelain wrist. A stray rain drop broke the thought of self-harm the woman had been contemplating as it struck her on the forehead.

A cascade of rain had begun to fall as Dipper raced towards the Gravity Falls Cemetery with a somewhat frightened Tambry riding shotgun. "Sh-She sounded pretty upset Dip…" the young woman said as she continued to play with her cell phone. Usually she used the electronic device as a means to pass the time out of pure boredom, but now the violet haired woman was trying to keep her emotions at bay for both her and the brown haired boy's sakes. Dipper wrestled with the idea of telling Tambry about Wendy's previous attempt at suicide. On one hand, Wendy had told the teenage boy of the attempt in confidence and felt that if she had wanted others to know that she would share that when she was ready to do so. On the other hand though, Tambry was Wendy's lifelong best friend and probably knew the redhead better than any other person. Maybe she could help? The violet haired woman was a known gossip though, and it didn't come any juicier than this. In the end, Dipper thought better of it and kept the revelation to himself, remembering the mantra of his Great Uncle Ford, 'Don't Trust Anyone'.

Wendy sat in the ever increasing rain as she quickly became soaked to the bone; her clothes damply clinging to her thin frame. Tears mixed with the precipitation as she placed the sharp blade to her wrist. "I'm so, so sorry guys… please don't hate me" the young woman pleaded as she began to slowly drag the metal along the underside of her forearm, increasing the pressure as she slid it down her pale skin. The bright red fluid began as a trickle near her wrist, following the blade as it tore a path across the flesh of the distraught young woman. A few drops of blood fell to the earth landing on the final resting place of Mabel Ariel Pines. The redhead groaned a bit as the pain had hit her. Lifting the knife from the middle of her forearm, she surveyed the damage she inflicted upon herself. Crimson blood gushed from the deep tear in her skin, soaking her hand in the red liquid. The downpour of rain tried to wash the blood away in a futile attempt as the young woman began to feel weakness overtake her body.

Dipper had just entered the cemetery as a clack of thunder rung out from the angry sky above. "Dipper! Look!" shouted Tambry as a familiar green pickup truck came into sight through the somewhat foggy windshield. The small truck came to a stop as both inhabitants wrestled to unfasten their seatbelts. Dipper left the truck running, it's lights piercing through the downpour as he and the olive skinned woman ascended the muddy hill where Mabel and Pacifica's grave's resided. Fear shot through both of their minds as the pair raced to reach the summit.

Wendy Corduroy struggled for breath as she closed her eyes and drifted out of consciousness. The redhead felt the entire burden she had been carrying for the past two weeks leave her mind as she opened her eyes to find herself next to her lifeless body. She felt the same as a moment ago, only without a hint of pain or sadness to be found. "Am-Am I a ghost?" the young woman thought to herself. "Ah damn it!" a familiar voice exclaimed towards the auburn haired woman. The voice belonged to the recently departed Mabel Pines, who approached the redhead in a huff. "I can't fucking believe it! I tell you that I saved you from killing yourself for a reason and yet here we are again! I can't even! I can't fucking even!" the brunette teenager said with an uncharacteristically large amount of profanity as her vocal tone became raspy from shouting.

The young woman was about to say something to Mabel when a pair of figures came into sight. It became clear to her who they were. "Wendy?! Wendy!? No!,No!,No!,No!,No!" the seventeen year old yelled to his crush as she failed to move or respond. Dipper sprinted towards the auburn haired woman, dropping to his knees and sliding in the mud. Tambry gasped as tears began to fill her eyes. "Call 911!" the brown haired teenager barked at the olive skinned woman as it became apparent to both what had happened. Tambry pulled out her phone and began to place the call, turning her back as she couldn't stand to see her best friend in such a state. "Wen… Wen… C'mon!" the teenager said as he desperately placed his fingers to the nape of the young woman's neck; the same nape he had passionately kissed a little over a day ago. Tambry rushed over to the distraught teen as she continued to hold the phone to her ear. "They're on the way… How is she?" the purple haired woman asked. "Sh-She's got a pulse, but i-it's pretty weak… Oh God! Wendy! You gotta hang on! I-I love you Wendy! I can't lose you too!" the young man pleaded as he fell into a heap on top of the body of Wendy Corduroy.

The auburn haired woman knelt and placed a hand on the distraught teen boy. Wendy soon came to realize that it had no effect on the brown haired teenager, as she was a spirit now. "Th-This was a mistake… I-I wanna go back Mabel! I-I can't hurt him like this…" The brunette haired teen walked over to her good friend and placed her hand on the redhead's back. "It's not up to you… If they can save you, then you get to go back… If not… well, I-I'm not sure what happens to ya… All I know is that I can't go wherever it is I'm supposed to be until you are able to fulfill your destiny. If you don't, I'll wander the earth for all eternity I suppose. And that would kinda suck. I wanna hang out with Pacifica and all my old pets" the teenage spectre said to the young officer. Tears fell from the face of Wendy's spirit as she had come to realize just how selfish she had been.

Lights and sirens drew near to the site of Wendy's body as Tambry helped Dipper up. The ambulance arrived and several EMT's ran up the muddy hillside towards the group of friends. "How long has she been here?!" asked one of the grizzled young men as he threw a large duffel bag to the ground next to Wendy, sending mud flying in every direction." I-I'm not sure… We found her about five minutes ago…" the teenager informed the medic. "How long ago did you talk to her on the phone?" asked Dipper to Tambry. Pulling out her drenched phone once again, the violet haired woman went to her call log. 'Let's see… Ah! 5:12pm!... So that was, like, twenty two minutes ago…" the olive skinned woman said as she buried her face into her hands, fearful that she was too late to save her lifelong best friend. The EMT's loaded Wendy onto a stretcher and carefully descended the hill towards the ambulance with Dipper and Tambry in tow. The emergency vehicle raced off towards Gravity Falls Memorial Hospital as the rain soaked and mud coated teen headed towards Soos' truck. "I'll take Wendy's!" Tambry yelled to Dipper as the heavy rain struck both her and the ground. With a nod, the seventeen year old started up the pickup and raced off towards the hospital.

"I-I'm so sorry Mabel… you must hate me…" Wendy said to her departed friend with remorsefulness dripping from her voice. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you Wendy. I'm just… disappointed" the pink sweater clad teen informed her friend, much like a parent lecturing a child who had misbehaved. "Look. I don't know who this woman I'm looking at right now is… the one who tries to drown her feelings in alcohol to the point of passing out nightly… or who tries to take the easy way out. The Wendy Corduroy that I know can overcome anything that's put in her way" Mabel continued. "It's just so tough. I know we talked before and all, but I just can't stop feeling like I could have done more. Something. Anything. You two didn't deserve to die…" the redhead said as she broke down. "Wendy… does anyone really deserve to die? It was just my time. Am I sad that I'll never get to go to college? Or that I'll never get to fall in true love? Or that I'll never get to be a mother? Yeah… A little bit to be honest… but it wasn't meant to be. What is meant to be is you staying alive and taking care of Dipper" the brunette said to the guilt ridden young woman. "You keep telling me that I'm meant for something greater… That I have to take care of Dipper… Why?! Why me? He's a smart guy, and I know he won't try what I did" Wendy interrogated her friend. "I wish I could tell you all about it… I really do. I can't though, because anything you know about your fate could cause you to make different choices that could change everything. You just have to have faith. Let's just say that the world isn't out of danger and it's gonna need as much help as it can to survive when the time comes" Mabel said with a hopeful tone.

The auburn haired woman mulled over what Mabel had just told her. "Well… if the fate of the world is in the balance… I-I'll go get some help… After all, if it's a fight for survival that's coming, then I need to be all there upstairs" the redhead said as she shot a hopeful smile to the teenager. "C'mon Corduroy, we need to get you back to your body" Mabel said with a slight jab to the taller woman's shoulder. The pair began to walk towards the hospital, which was about a half hour walk from the cemetery. "Wait a minute… Can't we just… I dunno… float there or something?" asked a confused Wendy. "Yeah… I mean we can if you want… but I kinda miss this whole walking thing…" the usually cheerful woman said with a hint of sadness. "Nah dude, we can totally walk…" the auburn haired woman conceded to her friend. "So… where's Pacifica at?" Wendy continued with her inquiry of the spectre. "She's wherever is next for me… I hope…" Mabel said with a sullen voice. "I promise I'll do my part to get you there…" the redhead said with a determined tone.

"So… what do you do when you're not talking to me?" Wendy asked as she attempted to kick a rock down the sidewalk, only to remember that her ghostly limitations didn't allow her to do so. "I keep an eye on people… I like to see newborns in the hospital… and watch kittens play at the pet store… I visited my parents down in Piedmont. They're doing alright I guess" the brunette spirit said in a hopeful voice. "Well that's good… They seem like nice folks…" the auburn haired woman said as she recalled briefly meeting them at Mabel's funeral. "I've also been keeping an eye on you… and Dipper. Pacifica was totally cool with it by the way. She just wanted Dip to be happy… and I'd say from what I saw yesterday that you can make him very happy, if ya know what I mean…" the teen girl said as she winked to the redhead. "Wait… you watched us… you watched us do stuff?!" Wendy said as she was equally freaked out and embarrassed. The brunette teenager sheepishly raised a hand as she looked down at the ground. "Hey! To be fair, I saw you kissing and wanted to make sure you guys were all right. What can I say? You guys know how to put on a show…" she said with a giggle. "That's weird as hell and purvey… but that's kinda who you are… so yeah" the redhead relented.

"Wendy… what's sex like? N-Not with my brother obviously… I mean, just in general…" Mabel asked with a quiet voice. Of all the things she was disappointed that she would never get to experience in life, this was by far the one that she was most curious about. "You mean you never?" asked a somewhat shocked Wendy. She knew that Mabel had been boy crazy for at least as long as she had known the energetic brunette and figured a few of those summer romances must have led to a little action here and there. "Nope… I guess Dipper wasn't the only one to follow Grunkle Ford's advice that I should 'Trust No One'. There were a few times I thought I was gonna… but, I never did. It never felt right… ya know?" Mabel replied as she continued to look downwards, somewhat embarrassed. "Yeah… I know how that goes. Well… I mean, it's different for everyone… but, when I have it… it uh… it uh… I mean, you've played a solo before… right?" Wendy asked the teenage girl as she sought to grasp the right words to explain it in the best possible way.

"If you're asking if I've played with myself and gotten off… then yeah… Oh yeah I have! Good times… Good times…" the brunette teen said in a somewhat joking manner. "Well… uh… it's like that… Imagine your best time, like, times a thousand… Oh! And imagine if you weren't fully in control… It's kinda like that. Yeah…" Wendy explained, hoping she had painted a clear enough picture for the younger teenage girl to cognate. "Huh… I think I get it… I think part of it too must be that you're so close to another person and that you have a lot of trust in them to let them see you as exposed as you are in that situation" Mabel extrapolated. "Yeah… that's a huge part of it too, that the emotional part can be a lot better than just the physical part. I mean… don't get me wrong… it feels awesome no matter what… but when you're doing it with someone that just gets you, it's that much better still" Wendy said, validating the young woman's thoughts on the matter. "Kinda like two pieces of a puzzle fitting together just right" Mabel added.

"Now you're getting it kid!" the taller redhead said in an overtly enthusiastic matter. "So… I'm sorry if this is kinda rude of me to ask… but how many guys have you been with?" Mabel continued with her line of questioning. "Nah… I get it… You're curious. Besides… I think I can trust you. I mean, who are you gonna float off and tell?" the auburn haired woman said with a chuckle. "So?..." the brunette continued to press. "Three… I've been with three. I think you can guess who two of them are… The third may surprise you" Wendy teased as they were only a few blocks away from the hospital. "Well… Dipper obviously. And I'm gonna guess Robbie" the younger teen deduced. "You'd be correct on both of those…" Wendy confirmed. "Uh… Nate?" Mabel guessed. "Nope… try again" the redhead replied. "Lee? Thompson?" the pink sweater clad teen guessed. "No… and HELL NO!" the taller young woman laughed. "Ugh… I dunno… I give up!" Mabel relented. "Well… remember when I got into that fight at the house party Tambry threw a couple of summers ago?" the woman with the green flannel shirt asked her companion. "Yeah?" the teenage girl replied. "Well… about a month after I got out of the hospital, Tambry came over to check up on me since I hadn't really hung out with her or the gang. I guess she thought I was mad at her somehow. Anyways, she showed up and my Dad and brothers were gone for the week. Well, she was feeling hella guilty about the whole thing and as she was gushing about how it was a huge mistake to even have the party… I kissed her. I kissed Tambry…" the young officer revealed to a shocked Mabel Pines.

"I just wanted her to shut up… and… and it wasn't like it was the first time we had kissed. When we were fifteen, she had kissed me and told me that she wanted to experiment. Now… I like boys. Always have, always will. So, I turned her down and told her that if she was that way it was fine and that we would always be friends. Well… this time… I dunno… things just kept going and we ended making out… and then… and then we had sex" the redhead said as she turned to see the look of shock on the face of her younger friend, who had come to a complete stop on the concrete sidewalk a block from the hospital. Mabel was well aware of the fact that girls could like one another, and if she could be completely honest, may have had a huge crush on Pacifica at one point. She had never figured Wendy to have been with a girl, but had heard that Tambry was an equal opportunity lover, so she could see it.

"Mabes?… Yoo-hoo… Mabel?" asked the taller redhead. "Huh?! Wha?! Oh… sorry…" the younger teen apologized as she came back to reality. "It's cool. Kinda wild, huh?" Wendy said with a chuckle. "Well… if I've learned anything about you over the years, it's that you have to check your expectations at the door when it comes to you" Mabel laughed. "Ain't that the truth" Wendy shot back. The pair had arrived at the hospital and drifted into the building, passing through both doors and walls as they searched for the emergency room. In the waiting room, the pair observed an emotionally distraught Dipper sitting in a chair. Beside him was Tambry, who tried with all her might to be strong for the younger teenager. Mabel and Wendy entered the emergency operating room, where Wendy's body resided. A team of doctors surrounded it as they worked to feverishly to repair the wound the redhead had inflicted upon herself.

Wendy noticed her spirit being drawn back to her body and away from her friend. "I think they did it!" the excited woman said. "Remember… I love you Wendy. That being said, if I ever see you before it's your time again, I will kick your ass" Mabel threatened the young woman. "Trust me… I learned my lesson..." Wendy reassured the teenager. "I love you!" Mabel shouted as the auburn haired woman's spirit returned to it's body. "I love you too Mabel!" she shouted as the pink sweater clad teen disappeared from her sight. Wendy's emerald green eyes shot open on the operating table as the doctors that surrounded the table congratulated themselves on a successful procedure. Mabel began to fade from the world, but made her way to the waiting room before doing so completely. Leaning in to her brother's ear, she whispered "I love you Mason" before leaving the mortal world for good, unsure of what awaited her.


	12. Chapter 12

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Twelve

Wendy Corduroy opened her emerald eyes, realizing that her spirit had rejoined the realm of the living once again. Her head was swimming thanks to the sedative the doctors had given the young woman before her procedure began. The ceiling above her moved as she heard the sound of footsteps on the tile floor beneath. From what the auburn haired woman could tell, she was being brought to a hospital room. She tried to move her arms, but to no avail. It was quite a fearful feeling for the redhead, as she had felt trapped in her mind, unable to communicate with the outside world.

The young woman arrived in her hospital room, where a doctor awaited his new patient. "Ms. Corduroy?" the voice asked softly to the still somewhat confused officer. "Huh?" was all she was able to muster towards the raven haired man. The doctor was in his early thirties and wore a blue button down shirt and khaki pants along with his white lab coat. "Wow… This doctor is kinda hot… No! Bad Wendy!" the auburn haired woman admonished herself internally. "Ms. Corduroy, my name is Dr. Smith. I'm the head of the emergency department. Now, I see here that you visited us last a little over two years ago for a punctured lung and some fractured ribs" the white coat wearing man said as he glanced at a tablet he was holding. "Y-Yeah… I was in a fight…" the redhead mustered to say with a raspy voice. "It must have been a heck of a fight!" the doctor said with a bit of a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood a bit and develop a rapport with the clearly troubled young woman. "Ha… Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it…" Wendy said as she began to cough. Dr. Smith brought the twenty year old a mug of water with a straw sticking out of the top. He held it as the woman eagerly took a drink; soothing the dry throat that had been plaguing her. "Thanks…" the redhead said sheepishly. "No problem. Now, Ms. Corduroy, I understand that you tried to harm yourself today" the man in the lab coat said with a somewhat sullen tone. "Ye-Yeah… I did…" Wendy said with a look of disappointment on her face as she peered at the bandaging that adorned her forearm. Tears began to well up in her emerald eyes.

"Ms. Corduroy, in accordance with Oregon state law, we have to place you on a seventy-two hour psychiatric hold in order to determine if you will continue to be a threat to cause harm to yourself or others. Now, this is standard procedure for anyone who harms themselves. I've notified your emergency contact, who in this case appears to be your father Dan Corduroy" Dr. Smith informed the bed ridden woman. "Damn… he's gonna kill me!" the young woman said as she buried her face into her hands. "And why would you say that?" asked the concerned man as he made a note on his tablet computer. "I-I mean, he's not literally gonna kill me… But… He wasn't happy when I chose to become a police officer. We haven't talked in a few months because of it. You see, when I was nine, I lost my mom…" the young woman began. "I'm sorry to hear that Miss Corduroy…" the doctor said as the auburn haired woman continued.

"Wendy… Call me Wendy… Please. So, my mom passed away from an aneurism in the middle of the night when I was nine and ever since, he's been protective of me. I mean… I can see where he's coming from. He told me all the time that I remind him of her and I guess he was just scared that something bad could happen to me. I tried to tell him that if I did what he wanted me to and worked in the family lumber company, that I could just as well be hurt by a falling tree, getting cut, or I dunno… falling into a woodchipper or something. I just wanted to help people, and I wanted to become a cop. I guess he was right after all…" the young woman said as Dr. Smith continued to scribble notes. "Wendy… I think that you should talk to one of our staff psychologists we have here so that we can solve this together" the doctor offered to the young woman. "Yeah… I think maybe I should do that…" Wendy said in a somewhat defeated tone. "There are a few people here to see you, but because you're under a psychological hold, they can't visit with you. I'm going to go tell them that you're alright and that unfortunately they can't see you right now. Is there anything you want me to tell them?" asked the man in the white coat. "Yeah… tell them that I was stupid and that I'm so-sorry for scaring them. Tell them I'm gonna get some help and that I love them all so much…" the young woman said as tears rained from her eyes. After taking a moment to gather herself, the redhead continued. "Oh… and there's a boy with brown hair named Dipper. Can you tell him that Mabel's spirit is finally at peace and I'm never leaving him again?" the young woman asked as she looked into the light blue eyes of the doctor. "Can do Wendy! I hope you get better…" Dr. Smith said with a smile as he left the room. Wendy lay her head down onto the extremely soft pillow and closed her eyes; falling fast asleep as she was both emotionally and physically drained.

Dipper and Tambry had been sharing memories of the young woman whom they called their friend when a man in a white lab coat appeared before them. "Are you here for Ms. Corduroy?" Dr. Smith asked. "Yeah… we are" the brown haired teenager replied. In addition to Tambry, the teen was accompanied by Soos, Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Ford, Melody, Nate, Lee, Thompson, Candy, Grenda, Manly Dan, and the Corduroy boys. "My name is Doctor Smith. I'm the head of the emergency department. Well… first of all, Wendy is going to be fine. She is, however, going to be placed on a seventy-two hour psychiatric hold in order to assess whether she is a threat to herself or others" the doctor informed the rather large group of concerned friends and family. "You mean, I can't see my little girl?!" asked Manly Dan Corduroy in his booming voice as she stood up from his chair. "I'm afraid not right now sir…" the clearly intimidated doctor said to the burly woodsman; a bead of nervous sweat formed on the doctor's forehead. While not a small man himself, Dr. Smith looked downright petite next to the hulking red haired man.

"Wendy did want me to tell you, and these are her words, that 'She was stupid and was sorry for scaring everyone so much'. She also said that she was going to get some help and that she loved all of you very much" the raven haired doctor informed the crowd. "Which one of you is Dipper?" asked the lab coat wearing man as he looked around the room. A brown haired teenager raised his hand as he responded to the doctor. "I am" he replied. "Can I have a word with you?" he asked, motioning for the teenager to join him just out of earshot of the group of concerned friends and family. Dipper arose from his chair and joined the thirtysomething man while the others who had gathered looked on in interest. "Dipper… Wendy said to tell you this alone. She said that she will never leave you again… Oh… And also that Mabel's spirit is at peace now?" the doctor said with a somewhat confused look as he was unsure of what the young woman meant by that. "Thank you for telling me that Dr. Smith" Dipper said with a smile as he walked away and rejoined the group.

"So… what did he have to say?" asked Tambry as a chorus of voices joined in and asked the same question in different ways. "He just said that Wendy wanted to tell me that Mabel's spirit is at peace now" he informed the group, which was met with a collective confused look. Undenounced to the rest of the gathering, Wendy had previously informed him of the fact that Mabel had saved her life once and that she probably did so again somehow today. The teen had sworn that he heard the unmistakable voice of his sibling saying that she loved him earlier while sitting in the waiting room. Dipper always had a strong interest in ghosts and the fact that Wendy had disclosed that his twin sister had become one worried the brown haired boy. He had been able to conclude from his research that the only reasons for a spirit to roam the earth were to enact justice from beyond the grave or to help save someone who was in danger. Since Robbie had left the realm of the living as well, he assumed that Mabel was still around to help someone. It was clear to him that Wendy was the one who needed help. Now that the redhead had informed him that Mabel's spirit had found peace, he felt a weight lift off of him.

The group eventually got up and said their goodbyes to one another as they began to depart the hospital waiting room. "We're heading out. Ya need a ride kid?" asked Grunkle Stan to the brown haired teen. "If it's alright, I think I'm gonna stick around here a bit longer…" Dipper said to the older man. "How are you getting home? It's pouring out there and if you walk home, you'll catch your death" asked a confused Stan. "It's okay Mr. Pines… I was gonna hang out a bit too… I've got Wendy's truck, so I'll drop him off on my way home" Tambry interjected. "Well… alright. I'll try to save you some dinner, but I'm not gonna make any promises" he said with a chuckle. "By the way Tambry, can I talk to you for a moment?" the older man asked the young woman. "Yeah... I'll be right back Dip" she said to the somewhat befuddled teen as the pair walked to the far side of the room. "I-I just wanted to say thanks for keeping an eye on the boy the other day. I was worried that he might try something like this, ya know?" Stan said in a sullen tone. "No problem. He's a friend, so it was no trouble at all" the purple haired woman reassured the original Mr. Mystery.

"Who'd a thunk that Wendy would be that down that she'd try and off herself?" Stan said with a sigh. "I-I'm not that shocked to be honest Mr. Pines…" the young woman said as she rubbed her arm with her right hand. "And why would that be?" asked the older man with genuine concern. "Well… seeing as things between her and her father haven't been that great since she became a cop last fall and the fact that she lost two people she considered little sisters, I'd say it'd weigh on me quite a bit if I were in her shoes" Tambry said with a bit of angst in her voice. "Look… Kid, I didn't know all that. I've been sailing the high seas with my brother for the past few years, not keeping tabs on my friends and family. Maybe I should have been" the older man said with a saddened voice. "I guess I'm a little bit guilty of that as well… I mean, I was so wrapped up in planning this party I'm having that I didn't even stop to think about how messed up my best friend probably is from all of this" the violet haired woman said as a stray tear escaped her eye. "Look… we all made mistakes. Best we can do is learn from 'em" Stan dejectedly stated to the younger woman as he headed for the door.

The violet haired teen walked over to Dipper, who was confused by the interaction between the young woman and older man. "What was that about?" inquired the teen. "He just wanted to know if Wendy was always like this, or if it was because of what happened two weeks ago. He cares about her and was worried… that's all" she tried to reassure Dipper. The seventeen year old was a lot of things, but stupid was not one of them. The gears began to turn in his head as he tried to figure out what the two had in common besides Wendy. Then, it struck him. "Stan must have told her to keep an eye on me or something…" the brown haired boy deduced. Should he call Tambry out on her lie or keep it to himself? After mulling the choices over for a minute, Dipper reached a decision. "Oh, okay. Yeah, after all that stuff happened almost five years ago, we all kinda grew attached to one another I guess" the teenager said with a smile. He had decided it best to let it go. After all, Stan had probably done it out of concern for his great-nephew, so he couldn't be that angry at him.

Dipper's train of thought was interrupted by the presence of Manly Dan Corduroy, who had walked up to the young man. "Dipper… Tambry… I-I… I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for saving my little girl's life!" the large lumberjack said as he scooped both young people into a tight hug. He nearly choked the air out of the pair's lungs before releasing the embrace. "Sorry… Got a little carried away there…" the flannel clad man said a bit sheepishly. "It's fine Mr. C!" Tambry exclaimed. The trio took a seat on a bench in the waiting room while the rest of the Corduroy clan hassled a vending machine that had eaten their money. "Wh-Why would she do this?" asked the large man as tears began to escape his eyes. It was a stunning sight for both Dipper and Tambry, as both had previously thought that he was incapable of doing such a thing. "Maybe I was too tough on the girl… Sh-She probably hates me. I-I was just so afraid of losing her... li… like I lost Kathleen…" the burly man said as he sniffled a bit. "I just see so much of Kathleen in Wendy… I guess I'm kind of selfish for wanting her to do what I think is best instead of what she wants to do. I just can't stand to lose the last reminder of my wife…" the grown man wailed, causing his four sons to turn their attention away from the offending snack machine for a fleeting moment.

Tambry placed her petite hand on the spacious back of the lumber jack and moved her hand back and forth in an attempt to calm the man. "I-If I may Mr. Corduroy…" Dipper began cautiously as he addressed the distraught man. "Wendy… Well… Wendy was kinda really upset that you two hadn't talked that much of late… but she still loves you" the brown haired teen tried to reassure the woodsman. "She really liked those two girls who died… She said they were like her little sisters that she never had. I talked to her a little bit at the funeral of the Northwest girl and she was really torn up about it all. I guess I should have seen this coming" Dan Corduroy said with a remorseful tone. The woodsman, Tambry and Dipper were suddenly distracted by a crashing sound that emanated from the far side of the room. The Corduroy boys had managed to knock the vending machine over and began to pillage it's contents as it lay on the floor. "Those damn boys! Excuse me, please…" the large man said as he shot up from the bench and began towards his destructive children. Tambry and Dipper had a laugh as they saw Dan admonish the four boys, before grabbing a handful of candy for himself and rushing the group out the main entrance.

The pair of concerned friends waited for a few more hours before deciding to call it a night. Heading out of the building, the two noticed that it was still raining quite a bit. After leaving the dry safety of an overhang on the edge of the hospital, Dipper and Tambry sprinted towards a familiar green truck. After initially struggling to find the correct key to unlock the vehicle, the violet haired woman opened the door and slid over to unlock the passenger side for Dipper. Taking refuge inside the truck, the violet haired woman fell back into the cloth driver's seat and began to weep as sounds of rain hitting the roof continued. The teen boy wanted to say something comforting to the upset woman, but found himself overcome with sadness as well. After a few minutes of crying, Tambry managed to regather herself. "I-I'm sorry you had to see that…" the purple haired woman apologized. Once again, Dipper wanted to say something, but was afraid of sending the wrong message to the young woman, especially after what had happened two years ago at the house party.

With a crank of the ignition, the truck roared to life. Turning on the headlights and windshield wipers, Tambry began the trip towards the Mystery Shack, where she would drop off her younger friend. The ride was a bit awkward, as both of them remained silent. After a few minutes, the green truck turned onto Gopher Lane, which led to the Mystery Shack. "Hey… I-I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate you giving me a ride back to the Shack" Dipper said as he broke the quiet tension of the passenger compartment. "Yeah… No problem Dip" the violet haired woman said. The truck reached it's destination and Tambry put the vehicle into park. "The party is canceled… in case you were wondering" Tambry informed the teen. "It sucks, but there are more important things going on right now" Dipper said to the young woman. "Yeah… right now we need to focus on Wendy and make sure she's alright. Maybe in a few weeks we can have one… if she's up for it" Tambry said. "Well… Thanks again. And be safe getting home… it's pretty dangerous out there" the teen boy said with a concerned voice. Tambry leaned over and wrapped the boy up in a hug. "I will" she reassured the teen as she broke the brief embrace. Dipper left the vehicle and re-entered the rain as Tambry backed up the truck and headed off; waving as she departed.

Dipper made his way inside the Mystery Shack, where much to his surprise he noticed most everyone had gone to bed, despite the early hour. After the events of the day, he guessed that everyone needed a good night's rest. Making his way to his room, the teenager quickly shed his drenched clothes and slid into bed. On his nightstand was a picture of both him and his sister from their first summer in Gravity Falls. Also decorating the table was a familiar trapper hat. Taking both of the items, he clutched them tight as he drifted off to sleep; unsure of what the next day would bring.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating this story. I hope that you enjoy the latest installment of this and as always, comments and reviews are welcome. So, I'm gonna try something new and share some of the music I was listening to while writing. Music is very important to me when writing, as sometimes the perfect song will come on and inspire me when I get stuck.

The Naked and Famous – Higher

Cage The Elephant - Cold Cold Cold

Cold War Kids – First

Green Day – Still Breathing

Grimes – Flesh Without Blood

Catfish And The Bottlemen - 7


	13. Chapter 13

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Thirteen

Standard I don't own Gravity Falls or any of it's characters, or really much of anything legal crap…

Wendy Corduroy fluttered her eyes open, unsure of what time it was or even where she was at. After a fleeting moment of panic, the auburn haired woman remembered where she was and why she was there. "How long was I out for?" she muttered to herself in a raspy voice. A small rolling table resided along the left side of the hospital bed, with a large mug of water resting on top. Also, as luck would have it, her left arm had been the one she took her blade to in the attempt to end her life. The redhead rolled to her side a bit and extended the recently repaired arm towards the drink container. Sliding her fingers through the rather large handle of the mug, she clenched her fist to grab ahold it; a move she instantly regretted as the action was met with a searing pain that shot up her forearm. "FUCK!" the redhead exclaimed as she retracted her arm from the side table and rested it back onto the hospital bed.

A passing nurse, who had overheard the commotion, rushed into the room. The petite woman, who was adorned in deep purple scrubs, was not sure what awaited her as she approached the patient. "A-Are you alright?" she asked a bedridden young woman with fiery red hair. "N-Not really… I tried to get some water and now my arm hurts" she explained to the nurse, whose hair caught her attention. Her locks were golden in color and adorned with a splash of maroon near the ends of the shoulder length hair. "I'll get that for you hun" the nurse said with a smile as she walked around the end of the bed and towards the mug of water Wendy so desperately sought. Picking up the container and placing the straw towards the redhead's lips, the blonde woman provided Wendy with the thirst quenching liquid that she greatly desired. After taking a gulp, the auburn haired woman leaned back from the straw. "Thanks…" Wendy said to the helpful nurse as she felt the water rehydrate her arid mouth and throat. "No problem. Let me move this to the other side of the bed, so you can grab it with your good hand" the blonde woman said as she pushed the rolling table to the right side of the bed.

Taking a seat on the edge of the hospital bed, the young nurse took a closer look at the auburn haired woman. She looked familiar, but the blonde couldn't quite remember why. "I feel like I know you from somewhere…" the nurse said with an upward inflection in her voice. "I-I was interviewed on TV a few weeks ago… so maybe from there?" Wendy offered as an explanation. "Oh yeah! That's where I know you from! You're that cop who got shot trying to save those girls from that bank robber…" the blonde nurse said in a somewhat excited tone. "Ye-Yeah… that's me… Although that's not exactly how it happened…" the redhead said with a sullen voice as a small frown came across her face. The purple scrub clad nurse noticed the display of sadness that now graced the face of the patient.

"So anyways, I see you hurt your arm a bit there… but it doesn't look that bad. Do you need me to get a doctor so you can get outta here?" the woman asked. " _Yeah_ … I don't think I'm leaving today…" Wendy said in a somewhat sarcastic voice. "For something _that_ small?" asked the confused nurse. "Well… ya see… I… I, uh… did it to myself…" the auburn haired woman said with a hint of shame in her voice as she looked away from the woman. " _Oh_ … I see…" the nurse said in a hushed tone as she lifted her hand to her mouth in a bit of shock. "Why would this young woman want to hurt herself?" she pondered. "I bet it's because she feels horrible about not being able to save those girls who were killed" the purple scrub clad woman figured. "I'm sorry… I've overstepped my bounds. I-I… I should be leaving now…" the blonde nurse said as she got up from the bed. Wendy extended her hand and brushed the arm of the woman, causing her to stop and turn. "It's okay. You didn't know. Thanks for helping me out" the redhead said as she looked upon the nurse with kind eyes. "No problem. I hope you get better" she said with a cheerful voice as she exited the room. "Me too…" Wendy said to herself as she rested her head back against the pillow.

Dipper Pines rolled over, as light filtered through the window of his temporary bedroom. Letting out a slight yawn, the brown haired teen's placid mindset was soon replaced by one of panic. "Wha-What time is it?!" the seventeen year old exclaimed as he reached for his cell phone, which resided on the table beside his bed. Pressing the power button, the screen illuminated, showcasing '10:35am' as the time. "Fuck! I overslept!" the teen cursed to himself as he rolled out of the bed and stood up. Clad in only a pair of dark grey boxers, Dipper walked towards his suitcase, which lay haphazardly on the hardwood floor. The usually neat teenager intended to place his clothes into a dresser, but following the unexpected loss of his twin sister, the boy was less than motived to do so. The brown haired teen selected a pair of khaki cargo pants, a white long sleeve t-shirt and a dark blue t-shirt to put on top.

After getting dressed, Dipper exited his bedroom in a hurry. Taking a moment to glance down at his phone, the teenager failed to notice that his Grunkle Stan occupied the hallway he raced through. Colliding with a thud, both Dipper and Stan fell to the floor. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Where's the fire?!" an annoyed Stan said as he slowly rose to his feet. "S-Sorry Grunkle Stan…" the brown haired boy apologized in a sheepish voice. "You're lucky I'm tough as nails… that would have hurt anyone else" the grizzled old man said to the teen as he rubbed a sore elbow. "So where are you off to in such a rush on a Saturday morning?" the original Mr. Mystery inquired with his trademark gravelly voice. "I was on my way back to the hospital… M-Maybe they'll let me see Wendy today…" Dipper said with a hopeful tone.

"Look… Dipper… You heard that doctor last night… nobody's going to be able to see her for two more days" Stanley reminded his optimistic great nephew. "Yeah… I guess you're right… I just… I just wanna see for myself that she's okay" the brown haired teenager said as his eyes watered up a bit. "You really care about that girl… don't ya?" the older man asked. "Well… I mean… Yeah! Of course I do! She's a really good friend who would do anything for me an-" the teen said as he was cut off by his great uncle. "I mean, you really _care_ for her… don't ya?" Stan said in a slower tone as he tried to get his point across. Sometimes the brown haired boy could be completely oblivious to what a person really meant to say, as he tended to take things in a literal sense. "I-Is it that obvious?" asked Dipper with a sullen voice. "Yeah… kinda. I mean, even before all this happened… I always thought you two kinda belonged together. Not to take anything from the Northwest girl, rest her soul, but you two kids just go together…" the older man finished his thought.

Dipper's tear filled eyes finally had sprung a leak as a small stream of water cascaded down his cheek. "I-I really do like her. It's just that… Pacifica meant a lot to me. I loved her and wanted to spend my life with her. I don't know if I can ever love another person like that again. I'm not even sure I'd want to…" the teenager confided to his great uncle as tears now flowed from his eyes like twin cascading waterfalls. The pair made their way to the kitchen, which thankfully was devoid of the other residents of the Mystery Shack. Taking a seat at the table, the older man motioned for Dipper to join him. "Mason… I think that you have every right to feel the way you do. I couldn't imagine falling in that deep of a love, only to have it taken away in such a cruel way" Stan said to the teen. "It's just that… I-I don't want to end up falling for Wendy and end up forgetting about what Pacifica and I had" Dipper explained. In her dying moments, the young blonde teenager had renounced her last name in favor of her boyfriend's. Sadly, due to resistance from her controlling parents, her last wish remained unfulfilled.

"I-I'm afraid that I don't have an answer for that… I think that you should just take it slow and see what happens… I'm sure Wendy understands that you can't just turn off your feelings for Pacifica…" Stan reassured the teen. "Yeah… about that… you see… We, uh… We, uh… Oh boy… Well…" Dipper stammered as he struggled to explain that the redhead and he had rushed into things in a heat of passion. "You two did the horizontal tango… _didn't ya?_ " the older man said with a bit of a chuckle. The brown haired boy looked down at the well-worn wood of the table as his great uncle continued. "Well… I'm not gonna lie kid… that kinda complicates things a bit, but I'm sure she'll still understand. You two are going through things that quite frankly neither of you should be going through at your age. You two kinda need each other in order to get through this and make sense of life" Stan concluded.

After pondering the sagely advice that his great uncle had bestowed upon him, the seventeen year old lifted his head and began to display a small smile. He realized that Stan was right. If anyone were to be understanding of his situation, it would be Wendy. She was always the calm one of the group, which only added to her 'Ice' nickname the group had given to her following the events of Weirdmageddon. The symbol on the Cipher Zodiac at first had been a bit of a mystery to the then twelve year old, but once Stanford explained the meaning behind it while in the Fearamid, he couldn't help but think that it was destiny for the young woman with the flaming mane of hair to have ice water flowing through her veins.

"Thanks Grunkle Stan!" the brown haired teen said as he shot up from his chair and sprinted over to the older man; wrapping him up in an embrace. "No problem Dipper… Just remember, if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you" Stan reminded his great nephew. "I know" the teenager said with a smile as he grabbed his car keys off the hook on the wallpaper covered kitchen wall. Making his way outside, the teenager glanced at his vehicle. Mabel had criticized her younger brother about his car, as the onyx paint was faded and it was quite loud. The 1967 Fjord Stallion Fastback was a sweet sixteen gift from Pacifica after she had overheard him admiring it one day while walking through town. Although the owner of the vehicle did not want to part with it at first, the blonde heiress managed to change his mind with a large stack of green bills.

Getting into the muscle car, he placed the key in the ignition and turned it, causing the engine to roar to life. Making his way down the winding dirt road that cut a path through the northern Oregon forest, the teenager reached State Route 668. Making a right turn onto the pavement, Dipper headed down the road towards the town of Gravity Falls. The teenager was glad that his father brought his car with him when they arrived for Mabel's funeral, as it gave him freedom to go wherever he wished. Right now, there was only one place on his itinerary and he was bound and determined to get there.

Driving under the now familiar stone and wrought iron arch of the Gravity Falls Cemetery, the black muscle car slowed to a crawl as he neared the hill where his sister and girlfriend both resided. Parking the car at the base of the hill, the teen trudged up the embankment, taking notice of his still fresh imprints from the previous day's near tragedy. After a few minutes, Dipper arrived at his sister's tombstone. "Hey Mabel" the teen said as he rubbed his hand on the top of the pink stone monument. Continuing past, the brown haired teenager made his way to the black and somewhat plain marker for Pacifica. Dipper kissed the black granite headstone, before taking a seat at it's base. "Hey Pacifica… Look, I know that it's only been two weeks, but it feels like two years. I miss you so much…" the boy said as tears streamed down his face; his eyes reddened from them. "I-I just wanted to say how much I love you. I love you so much… I wish I had said it more when you were here. I-I have to admit something…" he said in a sheepish voice as the teenager continued to converse with his girlfriend's tombstone.

"W-Wendy and I… Wendy and I… We… We had sex! It was a mistake and I'm so sorry! I know you must hate me… I know I hate me…" the brown haired teen said as he broke down. Dipper continued to weep as an unusually cool breeze blew past the distraught boy on an otherwise warm and sunny summer day. It was as if the wind tried to wrap itself around Dipper. An unruly strand of brown hair was blown into the face of the upset seventeen year old, causing him to open his eyes. The sight before him was a delusion; it had to be. "Mason… I missed you…" a soft voice came from the otherworldly apparition. Standing in front of the teenager was his recently deceased girlfriend, much to his shock. "P-Pacifica?! How?!" the brown haired boy stammered as he shot to his feet.

"I'm just as shocked as you are…" the blonde teen's voice responded. "I-I have so many things to ask you! What's the afterli-" the excitable teen asked before being cut off by the young woman. She appeared to be just as she left the realm of the living; clad in a pair of designer jeans, a purple jacket and a white t-shirt soaked in her own dark crimson blood. "Dipper… I don't know how long I have. I'm sorry, but I need to tell you this while I can" the blonde teen said in a somewhat desperate voice. "I-I'm sorry… I just missed you…" the teenage boy said with a remorseful tone. "I-It's fine… First of all… I heard what you said a minute ago about you and Wendy… It's fine. I get it… You're both in a really fucked up place right now and you guys are the only ones who get each other. I kinda gave her the green light anyway because I told her to take care of you that night she tried to off herself. I-I was worried that you would do what she tried to do, and… And I just couldn't stand that! I mean, I know you went and saw a doctor and have those meds, but I was still worried you'd do something rash" the spirit of Pacifica said as she brushed a tear from her cheek.

"Pacifica… I-I would never do anything like that… I mean, it sucks… and I mean, really sucks without you, but I'd be so selfish to think that by making others hurt that it would make things better… Plus, I was worried about Wendy doing something like what she ended up doing, so I knew I had to stick around" the teenager tried to reassure his girlfriend. "I know Dip… You always were the smart one… I shouldn't have doubted you. But seriously, don't feel bad about the whole thing with Wendy. I came here to tell you that you two have to have each other's backs. It's important." the blonde said. "Why? Why are we so damn important? I-Is it Bill? I-Is he coming back?!" the brown haired teen asked Pacifica. "I can't say too much, because anything I say can alter the future; maybe even for the worse… but let's just say that the danger isn't over yet…" the seventeen year old spirit instructed her boyfriend. "Alright… but should I tell Wendy about this?… I mean, she should know that we have to watch out for one another…" Dipper reasoned. "She already knows… your sister told her after the first time she tried to blow her brains out…" the young woman informed the brown haired boy.

"I-I just feel like a huge scumbag for having feelings for her while you've barely been dead for two weeks… And I ju-" Dipper said before being cut off. "I told you Mason… It's fine. I know you love me and always will… And I will always love you too… But I can't expect you to just not have likes and loves on account of me. That would be selfish. What we had was great. Nobody… not Robbie, not my parents, not even death itself can ever take that away" Pacifica said with tear filled eyes. "Thank you Pacifica… You're right… I will always love you" the brown haired teenager said as tears ran down his face. "I-I have to go… I don't wanna say goodbye, because those are so final… So… So…" the blonde teen said as she began to disappear. "Until we meet again" the pair said in unison as Pacifica vanished.

Dipper picked himself up from the seated position he had taken at the base of Pacifica Elise Northwest's grave marker. Giving the monument a kiss, he began his walk back down the hill. After once again running his hand along Mabel's grave stone, he turned around one final time and saw a beam of sunlight illuminate the final resting places of both his twin sister and his girlfriend. The brown haired teen trudged down the embankment and towards his black muscle car. Starting the vehicle, the teenager put it into gear and left the cemetery. As he drove to the Mystery Shack, the seventeen year old's mind was at ease for the first time in a long while.

Author's note: Sorry about the late post on this chapter, but free time to write was a bit hard to come by. I still have a few more chapters to go before this part of the "Shooting Star Falls" universe is put to a close. From there I plan to post a bunch of one shots that skip around in the time after "Echoes Of A Nearby Future", hopefully leading to my next major story. As always, your views, follows, and reviews are appreciated. It's still so wild that in the six or so months that I've been writing fan fics that I've had the kind of response I have. I'm in awe to be honest. I kinda wanna do something with Mabel and Pacifica's journey in the afterlife (Maybe some Mabifica) but I'm not sure where to go on that, so if you have some input on that feel free to message me. Some of the music that inspired me this writing session:

Bullfight by A Day To Remember

Knuckles by Mooseblood

Enemies by Shinedown

Apocalyptic by Halestorm


	14. Chapter 14

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Fourteen

Wendy opened her eyes as she heard a woman's voice echo off the walls of her hospital room. "I'll have to call you back…" the statuesque woman said to her smartphone as she noticed the redhead had awoken. "Ms. Corduroy… My name's Doctor Claire Bourdais and I'm one of the psychologists here" the tall woman said to her patient as she took a seat in a plastic chair beside the hospital bed. By Wendy's guess she had to be over six feet tall, with long, flowing chestnut hair falling to about midway down her back. She wore a pair of charcoal dress pants, a sky blue button up blouse and a white doctor's lab coat.

"So… Gwendolyn I underst -" the doctor began to say before being cut off by the bedridden ginger. "Wendy… Please… Call me Wendy…" the auburn haired woman said in a raspy voice. Reaching to her right she grasped her water mug and brought the straw to her lips. After taking a few gulps of the room temperature water, her softer voice returned. "Sorry… Wendy, I understand that you came in yesterday evening… Is that right?" the woman asked the young officer. "Yeah…" she responded in a shy voice to the psychologist's question. "Okay, good. I know you've spoken to a lot of people overnight; probably met lots of doctors and nurses. Have you had any sleep at all?" the brown haired woman inquired. "Um… I may have drifted off… once or twice… but not much" Wendy said as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her index and thumb.

"Okay… did you have any breakfast at all?" the psychiatrist asked. Wendy shook her head no as the back of her head rubbed against the pillow it was propped up against. "Well… like I said, my name's Claire… Claire Bourdais… and I'm a psychologist here in the emergency department. I guess what I need to do is find out a bit more about what happened…" the woman in the white lab coat said as she placed her hands on her knees. "Obviously things are pretty awful…" the doctor said as Wendy turned and faced her. "Yeah…" the auburn haired woman said as she locked eyes with the brown haired psychologist. "So… what's happened for things to get to this point? From what I understand, the people who saw you last night told me that you slit your wrist with a knife…" Claire said with a calm voice as she continued to search the emerald eyes of the young woman.

"Yeah… I guess I took the knife… and… um… yeah um…" Wendy said as she lay her head back against the pillow as tears began to form in her eyes. "Yeah… and I took it and just… uh… cut my arm… th- that's about it" the redhead said as she sniffled. "Okay… I figured things must have gotten really, really bad for things to get to that point" Claire said as she rested her elbows on her knees and maintained eye contact with the upset officer. "I don't think anybody gets to that point unless they're feeling like that's the only option for them" the lab coat clad woman continued. "Yeah…" sniffled Wendy. "What's happened for things to get that bad?" inquired the doctor in a soft voice. "I don't… I guess… I just felt guilty I guess… about what happened to… to Mabel an-and Pacifica…" the young woman continued to weep. "I-I just feel like things would be better if I weren't around…" Wendy said as she chased a sniffle away. "Better for everyone if you weren't alive? I-Is that what you mean?" the chestnut haired woman asked as she leaned in a bit with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah" the auburn haired woman said as she began to breathe heavy and again sniffled, trying with all her might to hold back the barrage of tears that formed in her eyes. "How long have you been feeling that way for?" Claire asked. "Since the night of the robbery…" the young woman said as she rubbed her eye before continuing. "And after that… people starting saying things when I was out and about…" Wendy shared as she chased a rogue tear from her cheek. "Hmm… so what kind of things did people say about you?" the psychologist asked while studying her patient's face. "Just… Just stuff that I thought they wouldn't say…" the redhead said as she took a deep breath and sniffled yet again. "Stuff like… Like I let it happen… And I was a disgrace… Just stupid things I guess…" Wendy said as she laid her head back against the pillow. "So… awful things that people were saying about you. Who was saying these things about you?" Dr. Bourdais asked the ginger woman. Wendy drew a deep breath as she replied,"I dunno… just townsfolk when I was out and about…"

Claire sat up in the chair and locked eyes with the clearly troubled young woman. "Is it people you know?" she said as the doctor began to speak with her hands. Wendy wiped away tears before continuing, "Well… It is a small town… But no… Not anyone I know closely. N-Not like friends or… or family or anything like that…" the freckled woman completed her thought. "So, very… very hurtful things being said when they think you can't hear them?" the thirty two year old doctor asked. The redhead sniffled a bit as her question seemed to hit close to home. "Yeah" the officer chuckled before continuing. "Guess my wilderness tracking skills let me hear better than most people do…" she finished as she shrugged her shoulders. A long silence filled the hospital room. Wendy knew that she should give truthful answers to the woman, as she was trying to help her out. Claire felt as if she had earned a bit of trust with the young woman and began to get to the meat of her questions.

"Does anyone know what's been happening? Have you spoken to anyone about it?" the seasoned psychologist asked as she tried to delve deeper into the troubled officer's psyche. "Ummm… No…" the auburn haired woman replied as she quickly shook her head back and forth and crossed her right arm across her body. "And… And this was the first time? I-Is that right?" Dr. Bourdais asked as her patient nodded her head quickly that it was. "And how have you been feeling these past few weeks? Just recently… and particularly yesterday… is this the worst you've ever felt?" Claire inquired. Wendy hesitated a moment before responding. "Yeah" she whispered and nodded her head. "Okay" was all the doctor had to say as she let Wendy continue.

The young woman turned her head away quickly in a bit of shame, drew a deep breath, sniffled, wiped a stray tear away and looked down in embarrassment. Claire Bourdais searched the room for a box of tissues for Wendy Corduroy to use. "I'm sorry there are no tissues. When one of the nurses comes by I'll be sure to ask for some… Okay?" the chestnut haired woman offered to her patient. All Wendy could do was nod. She was embarrassed for showing weakness, but at the same time it felt great to just not put up a façade for someone. She didn't know this woman, and outside of this hospital she was fairly certain that she wouldn't see her again, so she saw little harm in opening up; especially if it meant that she could get back to normal.

"Can I ask you a little bit about your life? Where are you living at the moment?" the doctor asked as she tried to steer the direction of the conversation." M-My apartment here in town… just by myself…" Wendy answered. "How do you get along with your parents?" the thirty two year old woman asked the bedridden young woman. "Well… I lost my mom when I was nine… A-And my dad got so angry at me for joining the force that he moved the rest of my family upstate…" the redhead said as she again fought back tears. "I-I'm so sorry to hear that… Does your dad know what's happening?" Dr. Bourdais asked, hoping to find something to help her. "No… Not really…" Wendy said as she looked down once again. "Is he worried about you?" the brown haired woman asked a clearly uncomfortable copper haired woman. "I-I guess so, I mean… He Wh- He's hard to talk to sometimes…" the young woman said as it was clear the psychiatrist had struck a nerve.

"And your brothers? How do you get along with them?" asked Claire. "Fine… We usually don't talk too much… They kinda keep to themselves, but we're close" Wendy said as a small smile breached the face of the ginger girl for the first time in a while as she rubbed her arm in a bit of awkwardness. "I just do my thing and they do theirs…, ya know?" the young officer said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I know families, all families are different, but in your family can you talk about things? Are there ever any problems?" the doctor asked as Wendy quickly nodded that there weren't. "Okay, prior to these last few weeks, have you ever felt this way in the past?" Dr. Bourdais continued. "No" Wendy said as she locked eyes with the woman in the white lab coat.

"Have you ever tried to end your life in the past?" the chestnut haired woman asked her patient. The ginger woman gulped and nodded no before continuing. "Not really" she said with a shrug. "Just uh…" Wendy said as she looked away. "Uh… just stupid little cliché teenage girl things I guess?" the young woman said as she nervously rubbed her arm and looked around the room. "What do you mean by that? What happened?" Claire asked with a concerned voice. "Just… you know… scratches and… um… just nothing serious… really" the redhead explained. "Okay… how often in the past would you scratch yourself?" the doctor asked as she searched for an answer. Wendy looked down and swallowed before answering her interviewer. "Um… Just whenever I felt down… After a break up with a boyfriend… O-Or if I did badly on a test… Just stupid shit like that…" the redhead sheepishly admitted. Why did it feel so good to open herself up to a complete stranger? "Would that be every day?" Claire continued her inquiry.

Wendy bit her lip and looked down before answering. "Sometimes" she admitted to the psychologist. "And when it was every day, how long would it last for? How long would it go on for?" Dr. Bourdais asked her patient. The redhead bit her lip and looked down once again before answering. "I-I don't know… It's hard to say" she answered. "And what would you scratch yourself with?" Claire continued. She was curious to see why such a smart young girl would turn to self-harm to alleviate her pain. Wendy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "My nails are short because I chew them… So… Um… My folding knife or something… Like an exacto knife my mom used to art and craft with…" she said as tears formed at her eyelids once again. The eldest Corduroy child had shed more tears in the past two weeks than she had in the previous twenty years of her life.

"Did you ever need to have stitches?" Dr. Bourdais asked. The bedridden young woman quickly nodded no. "Did anyone ever know that you were cutting? Perhaps a close friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend?" Claire asked. Wendy whimpered before replying. "No!" she curtly responded. "And when you used to cut, what would it do for you? Would it feel worse… or better? Or anything at all? Would it do anything for how you felt?" the brown haired woman inquired. "Just… um… gave me something to do I guess?" the redhead replied. "Um… _I'm so stupid_ " the young woman whispered before continuing. "Um… I don't know… I just did it…" she said while shrugging. "Well… Sometimes with people I meet, they tell me that they get some kind of relief, and they were feeling really distressed" the thirtysomething doctor shared. "Yeah" Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "It's just a little kind of… Pick me up, like to… Focus more… I read something that said that if you feel different sorts of pain, it helps refocus your mind" the young woman explained. Claire nodded her head in agreement, which came as a bit of a shock to the redhead.

"Yeah, I've had other people tell me that as well. Is that what it did for you? Did it refocus your mind?" the doctor asked. "Yeah, sort of. It's like when you pinch something… It just sort of if you hurt something and it pinches you, you think about the pinch instead of the other stuff…" the auburn haired woman tried to explain. "Okay… If we could just go back to more recent times… What happened yesterday? Can you take me back to yesterday?" the lab coat clad slender woman asked. Wendy put her hand to the side of her face. "Um… I uh… Was working with my friends… And I uh… Just got overwhelmed" the redhead said as she began to breathe heavy, drawing the concern of Dr. Bourdais. "I just couldn't stand to look weak in front of my friends… So I just took off. And I uh… Went to my place and grabbed some beer… I went to visit Mabel and Pacifica in the cemetery. My best friend called and wanted to make sure I was okay." Wendy said as the tears breached her eyelids and ran down her freckled cheeks. She swallowed hard before continuing to recall the previous day. "I… Uh… Called her back and told her I wasn't well…" the redhead said. "I uh… Just uh… Took the knife and just dragged it along my arm…. And yeah…" the twenty year old woman said as she looked down and away from the psychologist that was interviewing her.

"The friend that called you, was that a close friend? Your closest friend?" the brown haired woman asked as she sat a bit more upright in the plastic chair. Wendy nodded that Tambry was indeed her best friend. "Was that a goodbye message? Did you know that you were going to die and that was a way of saying goodbye to her?" Claire inquired. Wendy looked up for a moment and pursed her lips before responding. "I just wanted to tell her that… That's all…" the redhead said as she tried with all her might to fight back tears. Despite her best efforts, the far corner of her eye began to spill some fluid, causing her to wipe them away with her hand before resting the side of her face in it for a brief moment.

"So what is it that you do for work? I know I've been told, but I don't quite remember…" the brown haired woman asked. It was a lie, but the doctor wanted to see her patient's reaction to describing her job. Wendy closed her eyes and drew a deep breath before showing a slight smile on her face. "I'm an officer with the Gravity Falls Police Department. I'm a patrol officer right now… And… I was beginning to study to become a lieutenant in the next little bit. I-I've also always wanted to do something with the schools… like visiting classes and tell them about different things… like conflict resolution and safety… I dunno… things like that I guess…" the young woman said as her eyes lit up a bit. "And how long had you been doing that for?" Dr. Bourdais asked. "Since last fall… so about nine months or so…" Wendy replied. "Had you been enjoying it at any point?" the while lab coat clad woman continued. "Yeah… Yeah… No… I-I loved my job… Protecting my town… I-It was just a huge honor to protect these people… And they were so thankful for what I was doing for them…" Wendy beamed as the smile grew larger and her emerald eyes lit up. "I-I just like helping people out… Tha-That's why I got into it… To help people… " the redhead finished.

"So… When did you stop enjoying the job? Is it related to what happened two weeks ago?" Claire inquired. "Yeah… that's about when I began to doubt if I was ever going to go back… I mean… Why, um, waste my time if these people didn't trust me to protect them and were saying all these mean and nasty things about me behind my back? A-And I wasn't sure I could actually do it… Ya know?" the young woman said as her demeanor had changed once again. Noticing this change, the doctor altered the direction of the conversation. "So… you mentioned that you cut yourself with a knife… Where did you get the knife from?" the brown haired woman asked. "I-I usually keep one on me… It's just been ingrained in me since I was little to always have something like that on my person, ya know? My dad is a lumber jack, so we'd be out in the woods a lot and need to use it quite a bit" the auburn haired woman informed the psychologist. "That makes sense…" Dr. Bourdais replied in an even voice. Wendy looked around the room a bit before she was interrupted by yet another question. "Was… Was this something you planned? Had… Had you gone to the cemetery with the idea of doing this to yourself?" the doctor asked. "No… I was just gonna go there to… um… to… I dunno, just have a few beers and try to calm down…" Wendy said as she looked down and closed her eyes.

"And… When you cut yourself with the knife, what was it that you wanted to happen?" Claire asked as Wendy looked up with her still closed eyes. After drawing a deep breath, the young woman responded. "I just hoped that I would go to sleep for a bit…" the auburn haired twenty year old said as she opened her eyes and looked away from the psychologist before continuing. "I just… couldn't really sleep. I was hoping to just… Rest. Stop…" the redhead paused, still looking away. "Stop what?" Dr. Bourdais leaned in. "Just uh… Not have to deal with anything… Just… Just…" the young woman began to choke up again. After fidgeting her mouth around, she looked up at the ceiling as her eyeballs moved back and forth rapidly. Wendy was clearly uncomfortable with sharing her feelings of not wanting to live anymore. Continuing to nervously move her tongue around her mouth, there was an awkward silence that filled the hospital room as she struggled to put into words how she had felt in the moment.

"Did you want to die? Was that the feeling at the time?" Claire asked as she broke the silence. The doctor breathed in heavily as she waited for a response. It always bothered her to pose this question to her patients, as it was usually met with hostility. Wendy looked away from the concerned doctor before answering. "Um…" was all she could muster as she bit her lower lip in an effort not to cry. "I guess so…" she said as the redhead slightly shrugged. The room had once again fallen silent, save for the somewhat heavy breaths that Wendy drew. After a few moments, Dr. Bourdais broke the tension. "Did you write a note to anybody?" she inquired. After once again biting her lip and darting her eyes back and forth, the patient responded. "Um… no…" she said as she shook her head as well that indicated the answer. A stray tear ran down her freckled cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

"Did you contact anyone else besides your friend?" Claire asked. "No… I hadn't been sending much stuff out lately…" the young woman replied as a nurse entered the room. She was relieved to see the temporary distraction, as she had grown a bit annoyed with all the questions being asked of her. She knew the doctor didn't know her and just wanted to get inside her mind and figure out how to help her, but Wendy was beginning to feel restless and just wanted to be alone. "Can you do me a favor?" the brown haired woman asked as she rocked the plastic chair forward, causing the back portion of it to rise off the white tiled floor. The nurse turned away from a machine that was next to the bedridden woman to acknowledge the request. "The next time you go to the nurses station, can you bring us back a box of tissues please?" She asked in a firm, yet kind voice. The nurse nodded that she would before leaving the room, once again leaving Claire and Wendy as the only two occupants.

Wendy looked at the far corner of the room, away from the psychologist that sat beside her. After pursing her lips and moving her eyes around the room for a minute, Dr. Bourdais restarted the conversation. "You said you cut yourself to get some rest… And you mentioned about your sleep… How has sleep been for you recently?" the doctor asked. "Not great… I haven't been sleeping much at all… Usually I've been getting to sleep at about three or four… In the morning…" the redhead said as she looked at the woman in the white lab coat. "And how many hours would you be asleep for?" Claire asked. "I'd probably get up at seven…" Wendy said sheepishly. "So not many hours at all…" Claire said as she scrunched her face a bit. "Do you feel rested in the morning?" she continued. "No, I feel like shit" the auburn haired woman bluntly replied. "You do? Okay? How's your energy been lately?" Dr. Bourdais asked as she nodded her head in agreement with her patient. "I haven't had any lately… I just hang out at home and drink all day…" Wendy said before being interrupted by the returning nurse who brought some tissues. Handing them to the doctor, the nurse walked away. Claire promptly handed the box to Wendy, who removed a few tissues and dabbed her eyes. "Thank you… So yeah… I just wake up and watch some TV or play some games or surf the web and drink… I don't do much of anything… " the eldest Corduroy child said as she drew a deep breath once again.

"So… what happened after you cut yourself? What do you remember?" Claire asked. "I-I don't remember much to be honest… Just closing my eyes and going to sleep…" the young woman said with a sniffle. She had failed to disclose the fact that she had talked with the ghost of Mabel Pines and walked with her to the hospital. Wendy thought best to keep that part to herself, as she was sure that if she had divulged that info she would be sent away to a psychiatric facility. Despite the supernatural nature of the town, there were a lot of people who refused to believe the residents who made claims of such events. "Did it feel like in that time that you wanted your life to be over?" Dr. Bourdais continued her query. The ginger woman drew a deep breath and took a moment before replying. "Yeah…" she said as she closed her eyes and paused for about twenty seconds before continuing her thought. "Yeah… I guess that's what it's all about…" the officer said in a soft voice. Claire hummed and nodded at that revelation from her patient. "What people sometimes tell me is that they feel like it's a solution. They can't stand feeling that way. They can't stand feeling so much pain, emotional pain anymore. Do you feel like that at all?" the brown haired doctor asked as Wendy let out a large sigh. "Just… I mean, some of that day was really nice. But I was just by myself and all of these people, even when they're not there… They're still there. And you know they're there. And… Um… You know that they're still talking about you… Or worrying about you… And I just didn't want to be a part of it anymore…" Wendy explained as she tensed up, clenching her right hand and taking a deep breath as she tried to fight her emotions that battled to expose themselves.

"I understand that after you cut yourself, your friends showed up to the cemetery? Is that right?" Claire asked. "Yeah… I think so…" she replied, not sure whether or not to reveal that she had been out of her own body when she saw Dipper and Tambry arrive at the gruesome scene. She decided against it once again for fear of being diagnosed as utterly insane. "Was this the friend who called you and you called back?" Dr. Bourdais inquired. "Yeah…" the redhead replied with a sniffle. "So, she must have been worried about you" the brown haired doctor said. "Yeah… Well she was supposed to be at work, so I dunno if she was on a break or something…" the young woman said as she locked eyes with the doctor. "So she showed up after you cut yourself?" the white lab coat clad woman continued. "I-I don't know… I guess… I was out by then…" Wendy said.

"I imagine you've met probably a hundred people since you came in… Do you remember the surgery at all?" Claire asked. "No… Not really… It's all been a blur… I guess…" the redhead said in a bit of confusion. It was almost as if the doctor knew she had been out of her body for the time she was transported and operated on. "How are you feeling about still being here? About still being alive?" Dr. Bourdais asked the young woman who had begun to fidget with a used tissue in her hand. Wendy took a moment to contemplate the question and drew a deep breath before beginning her reply. "It's just another thing that I didn't do well… I guess…" the auburn haired woman said in a sarcastic tone. "So you're feeling bad that it didn't work? Is that what you mean?" Claire said with a disappointed voice. Wendy had once again looked away from the doctor. "I just… I don't want to have to see people after this… And them knowing what I did… And them just always worrying… I just… I don't wanna be wrapped up in bubble wrap because everyone is scared… Yeah… I guess I just don't want people to know I've fucked up again…" she finished as she turned to face the psychologist.

"Do you have any hopes that anything can get better?" Claire asked intently. Wendy had begun to sniffle once again as her emotions were at a boil and could erupt at any moment. "I don't know…" was all she was able to mutter before having to take a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes. "It's just really scary…" she said in a raspy voice as she once again paused to dab her eyes with the tissues. With a sniffle, she continued. "It's just… If someone could, like, snap their fingers and make everything better, I dunno… Of course I'd probably take it… But it's just, everything's tangled up and there are too many people involved… I just hate this…" she said as the young officer was losing the battle with her emotions. Once again she wiped away tears with the now ratty tissue before continuing. "It seems like… there's no real easy way out…" the auburn haired woman finished as she broke down.

"This might sound like an unusual question to ask at this point time, but how do you feel about yourself?" Claire asked her upset patient. "What do you mean?" Wendy inquired as she was taken a bit off guard by the question. "Do you like yourself? Do you not like yourself? Some people I meet who are going through a similar point in their life sometimes tell me that they hate themselves" the brown haired doctor explained. "Yeah… I'd say that's probably apt…" she quickly replied. "That you hate yourself?" Claire inquired. "It… Seems stupid to sort of… All these comments… That I can't defend myself because they're basically right… I mean, these people that have been hating me or whatever they do… It's just… I'm not someone of worth…" she tearfully explained.

"Are there any reasons for living? Any reasons to keep going on with life?" Dr. Bourdais asked her young patient. Wendy wiped away the ever increasing tears before answering. "Well… There's people out there that I love… Like Clyde… and Mark… and Jonas… Dad… and my friends…" she struggled to say between sniffles. "Clyde, Mark, and Jonas are your brothers?" Claire asked. "Yeah…" she tearfully answered. "And your dad?" the doctor asked. "Yeah… But, I mean… I love them and everything, but… everything's so tangled up… Everything is easier when it's… Just disconnected from everything… It's just more people to worry about… More people to disappoint… Or have worry about you…" the auburn haired woman explained. It may not have made sense to the doctor, but it did to her. "Do you feel like you're a burden on anybody, like your family? Or your friends?" the brown haired woman asked as she leaned in; her patient's voice had begun to take a more quiet tone. Wendy nodded yes.

"Has anyone else in your family had an issue with depression? Or any other kind of psychological problems?" Claire asked with intent eyes as she observed every movement and expression her patient made, trying to get the clearest picture of the young woman she could. "M-Maybe my dad when mom passed… but I was too young to know for sure…" Wendy informed the doctor. "I-I do have an aunt that's like bi-polar… big swings… things like that… but nothing…" Wendy answered as truthfully as she could. To be honest, she didn't talk much to her extended family, as they tended to creep her out. "I-Is that your mother's sister or your father's sister?" Dr. Bourdais asked with a hint of interest in her voice. "Has she had treatment for her bi-polar, do you know?" the brown haired woman inquired. "I-I don't really know that much about it… Just that she has it…" Wendy answered in a confused tone.

"I'm going to check in with your family anyway, so that's okay… Just in the past few days, you mentioned you haven't slept very well and that you've generally been feeling pretty lousy… Have you felt irritated? Like very anxious and almost kind of a can't sit still feeling?" Claire asked. "Sort of... Like in my head? Does that make sense?" the redhead said with a questioning tone to her voice as she moved around the hospital bed a bit. "Yes, that makes sense… Yup" the doctor reassured the young woman. "Like all I wanna do is sit and lie somewhere. But… I just feel like… I think it happens when you're tired, when you just feel like weirdly far away… far away and small… and, yeah… you're sort of in your body at the same time… That's just kinda what it's been like… I haven't really done much resting… I haven't been focusing very much on any one thing, like I'll click an article and get midway through it and just give up…" Wendy explained. "So, you're concentration hasn't been very good?" Claire asked the bedridden ginger. "Yeah…" the freckled woman said as she gave a nod.

"When would you say was the last time that you were happy in life? Or that you were enjoying life?" the doctor asked in a serious tone. Wendy looked up and pondered the question for a moment with large, tear filled eyes that were quickly reaching maximum capacity and threatened to overflow onto her cheeks below. "Um… I don't… I don't know…" the twenty year old struggled to say. "Th-Those things that I like doing… Like hanging out with my friends… Especially the two that would come up from California every summer… Video game nights at the house… Just stuff where I didn't have to think about anything… It's just that when it's done, you feel the way you did before… Like things go back to the same…" the officer recalled. "Back to feeling awful and back to feeling pretty alone? Is that the feeling you get? Does it feel the same… That you happen to feel pretty isolated?" Claire asked the young woman. "Yeah…" the patient replied in a low voice.

"If I were to ask you, and you know this once again is a fairly difficult question to answer, but if I were to ask you where you thought you were at for risk of suicide when zero is no risk for suicide and ten is definitely where you wanted to die and suicide is the solution to what you were feeling, where would you put yourself between zero and ten?" Claire asked in an intent voice. "Um…" Wendy began as she paused to contemplate the question posed to her. She closed her eyes, bit the tip of her thumb as she formed the rest of the good hand in a fist and drew a deep breath. "A six maybe… I don't know?" the redhead said with a bit of an uneasy smirk. She really didn't know how to feel in the moment and Claire observed that by the odd faces she was making. "And the desire to live, where zero is that there is no desire to live and ten is absolutely wanting to be alive, where would you put yourself?" Dr. Bourdais questioned as the interview began to draw to a close. Once again, Wendy hesitated while fidgeting a bit in the hospital bed. "One" she replied in a soft voice. "Hmm… so no desire at all then?" the brown haired doctor repeated. "I guess… I just don't want to see anyone" the auburn haired woman said as she looked up and away from the interviewer.

"Has anyone called you or messaged you since you've been in here?" Claire questioned her younger patient. "No… It's been turned off" was all Wendy could muster in a weak voice. "Did you turn it off or did it lose charge?" Dr. Bourdais asked her patient. It was important for her to know if the young officer had made any contact with the outside world. "It must have died… Last time I remember using it my battery was pretty low, so it must have shut off… It's got a pretty shitty battery life…" she said with a bit of a furrowed brow. "What would you like to have happen from here? " Claire inquired. After taking a few deep breaths and looking away from the doctor for a moment to collect her emotions, she began to answer. "I just want to…" the redhead said before drawing another deep breath. "Go to sleep maybe? I don't want to see anyone at the moment. Just away…" the young woman said as she closed her eyes. "I-Is there anything that could help?" the lab coat clad woman asked. "I don't… I don't know… Maybe stop being so hard on myself… It just feels so weird to say that I accept that I did all I could… It feels like I am settling for less in a way… That it's okay that I couldn't save Mabel or Pacifica and that I'm fine with that… I'm not… I'll never be…" Wendy said as she had an epiphany. She had put the idea into her head that she couldn't be seen as weak or vulnerable because that just wasn't who everyone expected her to be. There were people who wanted to help and support her, but she driving a wedge between them because she didn't want to ruin the idea of what she thought she was to them. It had never occurred to her that maybe they just liked her because of the person she was and not because of who she was supposed to be.

"Is there anything else I should know at the moment that I haven't asked you?" Claire inquired. "I don't think so?" the young woman asked in an unsure voice. "I've asked more than twenty questions… It must seem like I've asked you one hundred and twenty questions. What questions would you have for me?" the thirty two year old woman asked her patient. "So, did my dad contact you?" the bedridden woman inquired. "He left messages… yeah. You may have met one of the psychiatric nurses that I work with this morning. I know it's hard to tell who's who with as many people that you've met in the last little bit. They told me in a meeting this morning before I came and met with you that he was very interested in talking to me. He's waiting to talk with me in the waiting room at the moment. How would you feel about me talking to him?" the brown haired woman asked as her patient shrugged her shoulders. "Just you going out and talking with him?" she asked as tears filled her eyes. "Yeah" Claire responded. "Fine… I just don't want to see him…" the young woman said as she closed her eyes and looked down. "Why is that?" Dr. Bourdais inquired. After taking a moment to take a deep breath, the redhead opened her green eyes and explained. "I just don't want to see his reaction" she supplied as a response. "How do you think he will react?" the thirty two year old woman probed. "Not well…" she said in a somewhat sarcastic voice. Wendy knew that Dr. Bourdais had never met her father face to face and would quickly become intimidated once his probable anger rose to the surface as details of how she felt were revealed. She worried a bit, as even though her father had a short temper, he did care about his children more than anything in the world. She would feel terrible if his parenting skills were called into question, or even worse their welfare.

"Would he be upset? Or angry?" Claire asked. "Just I don't… I just find it really hard to talk to him…" the young woman said between sniffles. "He'll be really concerned and blame himself… And I just can't talk to him…" Wendy finished. "Okay" was all a somewhat confused psychologist could say. "What other questions would you have?" the doctor asked as she tried to steer the conversation away from her father. "I guess… just what happens now?" the auburn haired woman said with a somewhat concerned face. "I guess that's what we need to figure out. I guess since I can say at the moment, and this is the first time that I've met you, but I'm very, very worried about what you've been through. I'm very sorry to hear just how hard life has become for you. And that's what I would like to look at is how we can help you in any way that we can to get through what has become the most difficult point in your life to date I would think" the doctor said as she locked eyes with her patient.

"So? Do I go home? Or?" the redhead asked as she began to completely break down. "I'd like to come back and speak to you a bit later on after I've talked to your father. I know you're very worried as to how he'll react, but he's known you all your life, so it's very important for me to talk to him as well. But obviously we want to do what's best for you. And for you to understand what's happening and why we might make decisions that we're making… Okay?" Claire explained. "Thank you very much for talking with me… I imagine you must be incredibly tired being awake all night. That's one of the things we need to figure out is how to get more rest during the night. Okay?" Dr. Bourdais said before rising from the plastic chair she had been sitting in for the past hour or so. "Thanks very much" the doctor said as she extended a hand to the bedridden young woman. "Let me shake this hand because your other arm is healing" she explained as the two shook hands. "I'll see you again shortly" the brown haired woman said as she exited the room. Wendy lay her head back on the pillow as she contemplated what had gone on in the last little bit.

Author's Note: So… This ended up being a huge chapter. I just really wanted to get into the whole headspace of Wendy and show that she wasn't as cool as ice. As she revealed one time, she's stressed out quite a bit. It's just that she hides it very well. I'll get back to more of a story in the next chapter, but after speaking to a friend who has gone through something like this, they said it was important turning point when they were interviewed by the psychologist. The next few chapters will be far less depressing as well as I begin to wrap up the main story and start on my slice of life one-shots that will follow this story. Thanks for reading and once again, feel free to leave feedback and reviews. I enjoy reading them and they help me to become a better writer, as I am sort of new to this whole thing.


	15. Chapter 15

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Fifteen

Standard I don't own Gravity Falls or anything much for that matter legal crap.

Dipper spent the rest of Saturday in his room at the Mystery Shack. All the brown haired teenager could do was count down the time until Wendy Corduroy was released from the hospital. He wanted to see the ginger woman in the worst way possible. Most of all, he wanted to hold her in his arms, tell her that everything was going to be alright and that he would be by her side no matter what happened. At the same time, the seventeen year old pondered whether or not it would be best to maybe give her some space, as she was surely going through a lot of different emotions.

Dipper kept bouncing through the dueling thoughts until he was inturrputed in the late evening by his Great Uncle Ford. Following a light knock on the door, the older man let himself into the room. He found his Great-Nephew seated on the edge of his bed, deep in thought. "Dipper… Everything alright there?" he asked even as he knew the answer to his own question. "Well… Not really Grunkle Ford…" the teen began as he drew a deep breath. The people Dipper felt that he could trust was able to be counted on one hand, but Ford was definitely amongst them. "I-I can't wait to see Wendy tomorrow, but I don't wanna overwhelm her…" the teenager said. "Dipper… You clearly care about her… You know it, I know it, and I am one hundred percent sure that she knows it. What does your heart tell you?" Ford asked the younger man to his surprise. "That I should be there when she gets out so she can see a friendly face?" the brown haired teen asked in an unsure voice.

"Then follow it… You see, I was always listening to my mind. I was always calculated and logical in everything I did. Where did it get me? I almost brought about the end of the world because I listened too much to one instead of the other…" the silver haired man explained to his apprentice. "Ya know what? You're right Grunkle Ford. I'm over thinking this… I have to just go with my heart on this one…" the brown haired teen said with a smile as he looked at the trench coat clad man. "Well… I have to finish packing… We leave on Monday and I have a feeling that I'll have to help Stanley out, seeing as he always procrastinates with those sort of things…" the older man said with a chuckle as he exited the room. The brown haired teenager once again began to drift away to thoughts of the redhead.

Dr. Claire Bourdais had spoken to her troubled young patient earlier in the day and now made her way to an office at the end of a long corridor, where Dan Corduroy awaited. There was a sense of apprehension as she entered the room to find the burly lumberjack seated in a comically too small chair. The psychologist could see why it may not be the easiest to talk to such a physically intimidating man. "Dan Corduroy?" asked the chestnut haired woman in a soft voice. "Yeah, that's me…" the red haired woodsman replied in a gravelly voice. "I'm Doctor Claire Bourdais and I am the lead psychologist for the emergency department here at Gravity Falls Regional Medical Center" the thirtysomething woman said as she flashed a smile to the seated man and extended her hand. Dan Corduroy's large hand accepted the welcoming gesture and swallowed the petite appendage as he took care to not injure the woman. Despite the rumors, the lumberjack was well aware of his strength and was able to keep it in check when the time called for it.

"Wendy and I had a long talk earlier and I feel like I learned a lot from her, but I'd like to ask you a few questions as well to be more informed about this whole situation" the doctor said to the concerned father. "Of course… I-Is my daughter going to be okay?" asked the normally macho man as he let down his façade. The outdoorsman prided himself on his toughness, just as his ancestors had before him but felt weak and helpless as his daughter lay in a hospital bed. "As far as her physical injury goes, she's well on her way to recovery. She just needs to keep the wound clean and dressed for the next couple of weeks and it should heal properly. Now, her mental health is a different case… She may need a little more help there…" the lab coat adorned woman said as she took her seat behind a wooden desk.

A frown developed on the forty three year old man's face as he had hoped for more favorable news concerning Wendy's condition. "What do you mean by that? Is it because of what happened a few weeks ago?" the large man inquired. "Well… You see Mr. Corduroy, Wendy expressed to me just how deeply that incident troubled her. I believe it has traumatized her very deeply and led us to where we are today" Claire said to the plaid adorned man. Dan shifted in his seat as an upset look came over his face, quickly replaced by one of anger. "I knew she shouldn't have taken this job! Damn it! A-And now my little girl is fucked up in the head!" the large man exclaimed as he slammed a fist down on the large wooden desk in front of him. Dr. Bourdais became a bit frightened by the emotional outburst, but quickly tried to reign in the conversation. "Mr. Corduroy… I-It's alright… Sh-She's going to be alright" the slender woman tried to reassure the distraught father. "You don't understand doc! I lost Kathleen… I can't lose Wendy too!" the woodsman bellowed as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Dan… I understand… I promise you that both myself and the entire psychiatric team here at the hospital are trying our hardest to help Wendy overcome this. You have my word on that" the brown haired doctor pleaded as she locked her aquamarine eyes with the large man. "I spoke with her a short while ago and one thing she kept expressing to me was that she wanted to protect the town. She kept using the word protect. It kind of piqued my interest a bit. Now, what I was able to gather from that was that she wanted to ensure the loved ones she most cared about were safe… And I believe that her need to protect others may come from the fact that she felt she couldn't do anything to save her mother. I think she understands that there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop that from happening and I also think that she knows that she did all she could to try and save those two girls in the robbery…" Claire said as Dan listened intently. As much as he wanted to interject, the lumberjack also wanted to try and understand what had driven his daughter to try and end her life.

"My conclusion, Mr. Corduroy, is that because she felt like she couldn't save her friends and protect those that meant the most to her, Wendy feels that she didn't have a purpose in life any longer. She felt like she had let her family, friends, and town down. In my opinion… that is why she attempted to end her life…" Dr. Bourdais explained. Dan sat in stunned silence. He had no idea that the reason Wendy sought a career in law enforcement was to protect the ones she loved most. The burly man thought it was more of a show of teenage defiance or that his daughter wanted to attempt something a bit more challenging than the physical labor that becoming a lumberjack entailed. It all began to make sense to the woodsman. Wendy took after her father in the respect that with everything they did, it was an all or nothing attitude.

"H-Her mother's passing was very rough on me… I-I think part of the reason she acted the way she did was because of the way I dealt with Kathleen's death…" the normally confident man said in a somewhat quivering and unsure voice. "And how was that? How did you handle the passing of your wife?" an interested Dr. Bourdais asked. "I-I just tried to push it down and ignore it… I-I just tried to carry on with life as best I could. I-I don't think the kids saw me break down at all… I just felt like I had to be even stronger… like I had to show the kids that I was still tough… That I was still their dad… So, I poured more of myself into my work. I let little things get to me and didn't share my emotions with the kids because I was afraid I'd lash out at them… I know that Wendy looks up to me… And I'm afraid that I didn't set the best example for when it comes to dealing with emotions…" the bearded man said as he began to weep a bit.

Claire handed the upset man a tissue as she began to understand the inner workings of the Corduroy mindset. The fact that a man showing emotion was sign of weakness was something that Dr. Bourdais dealt with all the time as a psychologist. It angered her a bit that this archaic mindset was still incredibly prevalent in modern society and led to many issues that would otherwise be avoided. It had no doubt had an effect on the young woman, which was clear as her conversation with the redhead progressed. "One thing we offer here at the hospital is family counseling Mr. Corduroy… I feel like your family could benefit a great deal from it" the brown haired woman said. "I-I think that may not be such a bad idea doc…" the gravelly voiced man agreed. "We'll get that set up later on… I feel like I learned a lot from this conversation and that will help me treat Wendy…" Claire said to the lumberjack.

"S-So when is she able to leave? I feel like she needs to see a few friendly faces… and just the outside world for that matter…" Dan inquired. "I'm going to have another talk with her in a little bit and just go over what we discussed here. If I feel that she isn't an imminent threat to herself or others, it will be tomorrow morning…" the doctor informed the curious father. "Okay… Th-That sounds great! Can you tell her something when you go to talk to her in a little bit?" Dan asked. "Sure" Claire replied. "Tell her that I love her very much and that I am here for her. I know I was a bit hard headed when I moved the family away, but I understand now how selfish and unfair that was to her. I was afraid and I acted like a coward. Just… ask her if she can find it in her heart to forgive me…" the forty three year old man said as a stray tear escaped his eye. "I will" the doctor replied as she once again extended her hand to the larger man. To her surprise, Dan Corduroy rose from his chair and walked around the side of the desk. Claire Bourdais rose from her leather office chair to meet the man. The lumberjack wrapped the slender woman in a flannel embrace. "Thank you…" the man said before breaking the hug. With a smile from both occupants of the room, the burly man departed the office. With a wave, Claire grabbed the door knob and closed the Cherrywood door to her office. Leaning up against it, she took a huge sigh of relief.

Wendy Corduroy stirred in her hospital bed as she began to dream. Once again the redhead found herself at the Northwest National Bank. Right on cue, Robbie stepped towards the edge of the granite staircase as he buried his weapon into the upper back of Pacifica Northwest. The errant shot fired again from behind the police line, just missing the raven haired man, but causing him to flinch and pull the trigger on his firearm. The bullet from Robbie's gun tore through the torso of the blonde heiress before exiting where her heart resided. Pacifica fell to the hard marble stairs beneath her as the crimson blood poured out of her chest. Wendy watched the events in horror as a nightmarish cascade of plasma ran down the white stone stairs of the bank. The look of sheer terror that overtook the soft features of Mabel Pine's face was forever seared into the mind of the young officer. Another misfired shot came from the police and unlike the first one, managed to strike the suspect in his shoulder, allowing for Mabel to escape her captor's grasp and sprint towards freedom. Wendy noticed this and silently willed the brunette teenager on as she drew closer to the safety of the police line. An enraged expression came across the somewhat pale man as he began to fire at the officers indiscriminately. Once again Wendy heard a yelp as she saw Mabel collapse and a large bloodstain form on her hand made pink hoodie. The redhead stepped out from the cover of her cruiser's door, only to be met with several bullets from Robbie's gun. Pain radiated from both the side of her head and her torso as she fell to the ground and the world began to fade away once again.

The auburn haired woman shot up from the hospital bed and yelled at the top of her lungs as tears streamed from her eyes. A nurse rushed in after hearing the commotion. She spied a young woman sitting up in her bed, breathing heavily. "Miss! Miss! Is everything alright?!" the concerned nurse asked. "I… I… I just had a… A nightmare…" the redhead said as she continued to hyperventilate. The nurse leaned out of the door frame and told another nurse, "Get Claire!" before re-entering the room. Wendy had pulled her knees up to her chest in an attempt to calm herself down. "Miss… Miss… It's alright… Dr. Bourdais will be here in a moment…" the short and somewhat rotund hispanic woman clad in aqua scrubs reassured the disturbed redhead. "M-My name's Yelinda… What's yours?" the woman asked the patient. "I-I'm Wendy…" she managed to sputter out as her breaths continued to enter and exit rapidly.

"Wendy… Just take slow, deep breaths. C-Can you do that for me?" the nurse asked. The auburn haired woman closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. It was easy for someone to ask her to do something as simple as breathe slower, but for Wendy it was an impossible task at the moment, as she had just relieved the worst moment of her life. What she would give to be able to not experience that horrible day anymore. She'd no doubt have to tell Dr. Bourdais about the nightmares and how they made her feel. In all honesty, that was becoming just as big of a reason to end her life as the unrelenting guilt that consumed her. She just wanted it all to go away and if that meant ending it all to do so, the twenty year old was okay with it. She just wanted to escape the hell that played on inside her head like an infinite theater of horror. "But… Dipper…" the redhead thought to herself. "He's faced stuff like this and all he had to do to make it stop was take a pill…" she tried to reason. Her emotions were in a seesaw of positive and negative thoughts and it wasn't clear to the freckled woman who would win out on this particular day.

Wendy remained seated with her knees pulled up to her chest and eyes sealed shut. Her mind kept going back to a goofy, brown haired seventeen year old boy who made her smile. She felt as if he was a beacon of light in the rather dark world she currently found herself inhabiting. "I-I love him… Damn it, I love that awkward son of a bitch…" she thought to herself with a bit of a chuckle. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a strong connection to the younger boy. From the time she first met him five summers ago, she could tell that he would play an important part in her life. The redhead thought his crush on her the first summer was cute, but saw him more as a friend than a romantic interest. After the events of that unforgettable summer, she grew to both respect and admire the brown haired boy. He was wise beyond his years and exuded a level of maturity that far exceeded that of many adults she knew. The next summer, Dipper returned to the northern Oregon forest a changed boy. He had grown a bit and had begun to loosen up a bit, showing a side to him that she fell in love with.

One day, after a rather nasty break up with an emotionally abusive boyfriend, Wendy had excused herself from work to keep from breaking down in front of her coworkers. Dipper was on a walk in the woods when he heard the sobs of an upset woman. After traveling towards the source of the sound, he paused for a moment. Wendy Corduroy sat on a fallen log that occupied a clearing in the dense forest. " _Wendy_?" Dipper asked in a soft voice, not wanting to scare her. The redhead remained stoic, having not responded to his call. "What's the matter Wendy? A-Are you hurt?" the thirteen year old asked again with a soft tone. All the auburn haired sixteen year old could do was shake her head no. "I-I'm alright…" the usually confident and relaxed teen said in a shaky voice. "That's crap and we both know it…" Dipper said in an uncharacteristically frank way as he took a seat next to Wendy.

She spilled her guts to the then thirteen year old, telling him every detail of the ordeal. He listened and offered some advice that had stuck with her in the three years since. "You're a very special person, and if that guy can't see that and feels like he has to put you down to make himself feel better when things don't go his way, then that seems like his problem, not yours. You're an amazing girl and any guy would be lucky to call themselves your boyfriend…" the trapper hat adorned boy said as he put an arm around her flannel clad shoulder and she lowered her head to his.

The rest of that second summer, Wendy decided to take a break from dating and just hang out with her friends. It was a blast and when the end of August came about, the auburn haired teen was devastated to see the teenage twins depart for California. Once again, Dipper and her traded hats as a parting gesture. The young woman thought that would be the last she would see of the Mystery Twins until the next summer. That was until one rainy October evening. Wendy remembered it well, as it was a turning point in her feelings towards the then fourteen year old.

The redhead sat at her desk in a feeble attempt to complete her homework. To her, school felt like a prison, where she was forced to go for eight hours a day to learn what they told her to. The only class she enjoyed was physical education, and that was because she was an incredibly active person. Lost in a whirlwind of math theorems and graph paper, several small knocks at the window failed to register with the young woman. "Maybe she's asleep… or listening to music or something" he thought to himself as he continued to stand in the pouring rain. Dipper picked up a particularly large pinecone and threw it with all his might at the second story window of the log cabin. The pinecone struck it's intended target with a rather loud thud, which caught the auburn haired sixteen year old's attention. Coming over to her bedroom window, she peered out to see what the disturbance was. "Maybe a bird flew into the window?" she thought to herself. Much to her shock, a familiar looking person stood outside her home. "Dipper?! It can't be? He's in California…" the young woman thought to herself once again. Running downstairs, she practically jumped into her boots and hastily threw a purple rain jacket on as she rushed towards the front door.

Throwing the door open, she ran outside, not caring if it closed behind her or not. The freckled woman ran around the corner of her house to find that the sight of the brown haired boy was not an illusion. "Dipper?! I-Is that you dude?" she yelled as a crack of thunder roared overhead. The teen boy turned around to see Wendy Corduroy only a few paces from him. She was standing in the pouring rain, wearing a bright purple rain jacket as her red hair became drenched from the precipitation. "Y-Yeah…" was all he could muster to say as the two walked towards each other, their warm breath hanging in the cool autumn air for a moment. The brown haired boy was soaked to the bone as his black cotton shirt clung to him like a second skin. "What are you doing here?" Wendy asked in confusion. "I-I need to talk to you…" he said as the redhead stood about two feet away from him.

"You could have called, man…" she said as the rain began to pick up in intensity. "This is something I needed to talk to you about in person…" he practically shouted as the sound of the rain tried it's best to drown out his voice. "Well… Let's get inside… You're gonna catch your death out here…" the young woman said as she offered her porcelain skinned hand to the younger teen. Following her around to the covered front porch of the log cabin, the pair took refuge from the unrelenting rain. Wendy grabbed her long mane of red hair and wrung it out like a sponge as water poured out of it. Sure enough, the front door of the Corduroy residence was wide open, as the door had failed to close. Stepping inside the wooden building Wendy once again grasped his hand and led him towards a stone fireplace, where a welcoming fire warmed the building on a chilly autumn evening. After dropping her friend off in front of the flickering flames, she headed back over to the front door and closed it, causing the room to dim a bit. "Dad and the boys are upstate visiting family for the rest of the week, so I've just been chilling in my room" the redhead explained.

"Stay here and dry off while I get us something to drink…" the sixteen year old said as she made her way to the kitchen. Grabbing a kettle, she turned on the stove top and began to heat some water. Dipper shivered as he tried to bask in the warmth of the fire. The teenager hadn't bothered to check the weather before hopping a bus after school and beginning his journey back to the Pacific Northwest. He removed his phone from the drenched denim where it resided. Trying to power it on, he got no response. "It must have gotten too wet…" the teen lamented himself as he placed it on the stone hearth in an attempt to dry it out. It was no doubt filled with missed calls and texts from both his parents and his sister, who must have been worried when he failed to come home from school. "Maybe I'll call them in a bit, but after I talk to Wendy…" he thought to himself.

A few minutes passed before the ginger teen returned with two ceramic mugs filled with a brown liquid. "I-I made us some hot coco to warm up a bit…" she said a bit sheepishly. The young woman was concerned about her friend, as it wasn't exactly a short trip from California. "So… What brings you here? Whatever it is, it must be pretty spur of the moment to not have brought a coat with you" she said as the sixteen year old took a sip from her mug. "Well… uh… I… I've been… I've been having nightmares… _Really_ bad nightmares…" the brown haired teen said hesitantly as he wasn't quite sure how to explain it to the older girl. "I'm sorry to hear that… A-Are they about what happened two summers ago?" asked Wendy to the young man. "Yeah… They are..." Dipper said with a deep breath. "I figured as much…" the redhead said. "What do you mean by that?" asked the teen boy. "It's just that a lot of people here in town are struggling with it too…" Wendy said in a saddened voice. The events of Weirdmageddon had wreaked havoc with the mental health of the residents of the small Oregon town. "So… That's kinda why I'm here… I-I'm kinda embarrassed to ask my parents, or even Mabel, about what I should do… I just don't want to seem… I dunno… Weak… Or I… Uh… I dunno… Broken to them…"

A small frown formed on the freckled face of Wendy Corduroy. She felt bad for her good friend, but didn't really know how she could help. "Dude… Lots of people here are going through the same thing…" she explained to the younger boy. "I-I don't know what to do… I just want it all to go away… I just want to be me again… To not have to worry…" the brown haired teen said as tears formed in his eyes. It broke the redhead's heart to see Dipper in such a distraught state. The teen girl placed her ceramic mug on a nearby coffee table and leaned over to the upset young man, wrapping him in a tight embrace. The wetness of his clothes spread to her formerly dry blue flannel shirt, but the sixteen year old didn't care a bit as she tried to comfort her friend.

Dipper enjoyed the embrace, as he felt he could tell the redhead anything without fear of being judged. After a few moments a loud ringing broke the crackle of the roaring flames in the fireplace. "You… You should probably get that…" Dipper said to the auburn haired teenager. "I guess so…" the young woman said with a bit of disappointment in her voice as she broke the calming hug. Walking into the kitchen, she picked up the receiver of the wall mounted phone. "Hello?" the redhead asked. "Hey Wendy!" a very familiar voice shouted through the phone. "We seem to be missing a Dipper… You wouldn't happen to have one by chance, would you?" Mabel asked. After a chuckle, the sixteen year old replied to her friend. "As a matter of fact… I do!" she said in an enthusiastic tone. "Hold on a sec Wen…" Mabel said as she placed the phone to her chest. "MOM! DAD! I was right! He's in Gravity Falls!... No… I don't know where he got the money for a bus ticket… I told you guys! You should listen to me more often!" Wendy listened as Mabel informed her parents of the missing twin's location.

The brown haired teen stood in the living room, not wanting to move for fear of dripping onto the hardwood floors of the Corduroy home. He wondered who it was that Wendy was talking to in the other room and what was so funny. It was probably her friends, although he figured they would have called her cell phone. The redhead waited for Mabel to continue the conversation as she held the receiver up to her ear. "Wendy?" the unmistakable voice of the teenage girl asked. "Yeah? I'm still here" the auburn haired girl replied. "My parents want to speak to him… Can you put him on the line?" Mabel requested. "Sure… hold on a sec…" Wendy said as she put the phone down on the kitchen counter and walked over to the still drenched teen boy.

"That's your sister… Your folks wanted to know if you were here in town. I'm sorry dude, but I had to tell them that you were… They're probably worried sick about you. Oh… and they wanted to talk to you…" the freckled teen said to her friend. Dipper walked over to the phone and picked up the receiver. "H-Hello?" he asked hesitantly. "Mason Alexander Pines! You scared us half to death young man!" a shrill voice shouted. It belonged to his mother, who was relieved to know her son was alright. "I-I'm sorry mom… I-I just needed to get away… And clear my head…" he offered as an explanation. "I don't care about that honey… I'm just glad you're safe and sound" the upset mother said in a relieved tone. "It was a spur of the moment thing… I wasn't thinking…" Dipper said as he tried to rationalize why he skipped town and took a bus three hours north. "I want you home as soon as possible mister!" Mrs. Pines instructed as the shrillness returned to her voice. "Well… There are no buses leaving tonight… And I was wondering… Since I'm already here… C-Can I stay until Sunday? I just need to chill out" the teen asked with a hopeful voice. After pondering the offer for a moment, Mrs. Pines supplied an answer to her son's request. "Well… I hate that you'll miss a day of school, but you did bring home all A's last semester, so I guess it's alright… Do you have a place to stay?" the mother asked.

"Let me check real quick…" Dipper said as he put the receiver down on the counter. "Hey Wendy… Can I stay here for the weekend… I just need to clear my head for a few days…" he asked in an optimistic tone. "Yeah… that'd be cool… I was gonna be lonely with my dad and brothers gone until Monday anyways… Just tell your mom that my dad is here so she won't freak out about us being on our own. I-I don't have a mom, but I think I've learned enough from watching the Women's Movie Network to know that mothers usually aren't too keen on two teens spending a weekend alone in a cabin in the woods…" she said with a chuckle. It was funny to her that Mrs. Pines might be able to draw a conclusion that if it were just her and Dipper with a house to themselves that certain things could happen. She liked the brown haired teenager and all, but not like that. Or did she?

"Yeah… Mr. Corduroy said that it was alright that I could stay with them until Sunday. Yeah… I'll stay in one of her brother's rooms" Wendy heard the teenager explain to his mother. "Okay… I love you too… I will… Alright… Bye!" Dipper said as he hung up the phone. Wendy brought the still moist teen boy a set of clothes from one of her brother's rooms. Dipper gladly accepted the dry clothes and retreated to the bathroom to put them on. Emerging from the restroom, Wendy caught a glimpse of the teen boy. He was dressed in a pair of khaki colored jeans, a grey t-shirt and a red flannel long sleeved shirt. She was glad that the clothes fit him well and thought the look suited him. "He doesn't look half bad in those clothes… No! Bad Wendy! There's, like, so much wrong with this… First of all… He's rocking your brother's clothes… Second of all, he's like three years younger than you… Well, alright… Technically only two until your birthday next month… No! Ugh! This is hella weird…" the redhead lamented herself internally.

The teens spent the next few days watching and making fun of old movies, taking a few walks in the woods, and playing video games with Wendy's friends. Most all of them were glad to see him, with the exception of Robbie, who begrudgingly acknowledged his existence. His relationship with Tambry had been on and off for the last few weeks and he hadn't fully gotten over his feelings for a certain redhead. After the surprise weekend, the two kept in touch more frequently and visits between the mystery twins and the lumberjill increased, including when Mabel and Dipper traveled to Gravity Falls for Wendy's seventeenth birthday.

It seemed like a few hours passed since the redhead had closed her eyes in the hospital room as she reminisced about days gone by . She opened them to find Yelinda still standing there, albeit with a bit of relief on her face. Wendy had calmed down a bit and both her heartbeat and breathing had begun to return to normal. "You alright?" the nurse asked. "Yeah… I just had think about someone who makes me happy…" the young woman said. " _Oh_ … I see… A boyfriend? Or just a crush?" the hispanic nurse inquired. "Ya know… I'm not quite sure on that one yet…" Wendy said with a sly smile.

Dr. Bourdais entered the hospital room and briefly spoke to Yelinda before asking her to leave the room and closing the wooden door. "Are you alright? I heard you were upset and yelling…" the brown haired woman asked. "Yeah… about that… I have to tell you a few things I may have left out earlier…" Wendy said in an uneasy voice as the psychologist took a seat next to the bed.

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait for a new chapter, but I've had to work a lot lately because of a vacation I'm taking next week. I only intended for this to be a short chapter, but I had a great idea and decided to run with it. I hope you are enjoying the story and as always feel free to leave feedback and reviews. One of the ones I received recently helped me a great deal in writing this chapter, so I hope I was able to fix that little discrepancy. As I've been doing, here is a playlist of music I was playing while writing. Music is my muse and I'd love to someday screenwrite, as I had the perfect spots in my story to insert some of these songs if it was a television show. Think kinda like (and I know I'm dating myself here) One Tree Hill or more recently Riverdale and how they use music.

My Playlist:

Seven Lions – One More Time

Imagine Dragons – Demons

All That Remains – For You

Through Fire – Breathe

Milky Chance – Cocoon

Imagine Dragons – Believer

Dreamers – Sweet Disaster

Metric – The Shade (I Want It All)

Night Riots – Nothing Personal

Grimes – Flesh Without Blood

Bleeker – Highway

The Revivalists - Wish I Knew

Joseph – White Flag

Best Coast – In My Eyes

Grouplove – Welcome To Your Life

CHVRCHES/Hayley Williams – Bury It

– High Enough

The Moth & The Flame – Young & Unafraid

Sick Puppies – Rip Tide


	16. Chapter 16

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Sixteen

Standard I don't own Gravity Falls, the characters or anything much for that matter legal crap.

Dr. Claire Bourdais sat next to the hospital bed which contained her patient, Wendy Corduroy. "So what is it that you have to tell me?" the thirtysomething woman asked with a hint of concern. "I-It's just that… I've been having these horrible nightmares… Like… _Really_ … _Really_ horrible nightmares…" the auburn haired woman said as she began to sob. "These nightmares… Are they related to what happened a couple of weeks ago?" Claire asked the upset ginger. "Y-Yeah… It's as if I'm really there… But… Everything happens in slow motion, so I get to take it in even more so than I did in real life…" Wendy said as she pulled her knees close to her chest and both her heartrate and breathing sped up. "I-Is this why sleep has become so hard for you? Why you have to rely on alcohol to fall asleep? Is it because you don't want to have these nightmares?" the psychologist inquired. Wendy drew a deep breath and tried to calm herself as she thought of a coherent response to the doctor's barrage of questions. "Yeah… That… That's exactly why… I feel like if I don't sleep that much, I won't have enough time to have these nightmares" the redhead explained.

Dr. Bourdais quickly wrote down a few notes on her tablet, as she felt this important disclosure would help her patient return to her previously normal life. "I asked you a few hours ago where you thought you were at for risk of suicide when zero is no risk for suicide and ten was that you definitely wanted to die and suicide was the solution to what you were feeling. Has that changed at all in the last little bit? Where would you put yourself at this moment?" the doctor asked as she locked eyes with the anxious young woman. "I-I feel a little better about myself right now… So… I don't know? I guess if I had to put a number on it… A three? Between a two and a three I guess…" Wendy said with a bit of a smile. "If I may ask… And it's alright if you say no or even just aren't sure… Is there a reason for this upswing in hope and attitude?" Claire asked as she nervously fiddled with her stylus pen. The usually confident chestnut haired woman was a bit on edge, as she wondered if her curiosity would cause her patient to become upset.

"Well… I-I had that nightmare a little while ago… So that didn't help out at all… But… After it was over… I-I tried something new… I thought of something… Err… Someone who makes me happy… And, crazily enough, it worked!" the redhead said with an excited voice. "I think that is a great way to cope with the feelings you have!" Claire said as a smile appeared on her face. "Again… If I may ask… Who is this person that is able to make you happy? A friend? A Boyfriend or Girlfriend? A pet?" the brown haired woman asked as she got bolder with her line of questioning. Wendy shifted in the hospital bed and looked away before taking a deep breath. "Well… I don't really know what he is… Uh, what we are…" the young woman said as a blush came over her freckled cheeks and she rubbed the back of her head with her hand. "He's a really good friend… A-And we've been through a lot together in the five years we've known each other… But… He just lost his girlfriend of two years… In fact, she was a good friend of mine as well…" Wendy said as tears formed in her eyes. It felt good to open up about her feelings for Dipper with a relative stranger. Almost as if a weight were lifted off of her shoulders.

"Well… Whatever you guys are to each other… I think you're important to one another. Personal relationships, be them with a family member, a friend, or a significant other are very important when you go through struggles like this. It's part of the healing process to reach out to the ones we care about" the lab coat adorned woman said as she grasped a foam coffee cup that rest on the window sill next to her seat. "Dr. Bourdais?' asked the bedridden young woman. "Yeah?" the doctor responded before taking a swig of coffee. "I-I have a question… A-And it might not even be something you can answer… But… Uh…" the redhead said as she began to stammer a bit. Was she really going to do this? Was she going to ask her doctor, a woman she barely knew now and hadn't even met until a few hours ago, for relationship advice? "Whatever it is Wendy, I'll try to answer it as best I can. Now, what is it you want to know?" Claire asked her clearly apprehensive patient.

"Well… Uh… That friend I said that I think of… I-I really do like him… He's kinda younger by a couple of years… But he's really smart… And incredibly mature for his age… I-I'm just afraid that I'm moving too fast with him because I just want someone to be around. I don't want to ruin our friendship, but at the same time I want to be there for him. I mean, the dude lost his sister and his girlfriend at the same time. He could have been angry at me for not doing enough, and to be honest I wouldn't have blamed him a bit. But instead… He… He's actually worried about me…" the auburn haired woman explained as she spilled her guts. It felt so great to get all of these crazy, mixed up emotions out of her head and into the open. Claire wasn't quite ready to play the role of a relationship advisor when she clocked in to work that morning, having just gone through a rather nasty divorce. "What do you think I should do?" the redhead broke the silence.

"Well… I'm not exactly the best person to ask about this sort of thing… But… You said you like him… More than a friend? Could you see yourself with him?" Claire asked Wendy. "Yeah… I mean, when we first met he had a huge crush on me. I felt kinda bad because I had to turn him down at the time. I was fifteen and he was twelve. It wouldn't have worked then. The next summer though, I dunno… I guess I kinda developed a crush on _him_ … I almost asked him out, but he ended up asking out Pacifica instead. I could have tried to meddle in their relationship and try to break them up, but he was so happy… And I didn't want to hurt him. I don't know what it is… But we just get each other… Ya know?" the auburn haired woman said as she shifted a bit in the rather uncomfortable bed. She was glad that her much more comfortable queen sized bed awaited her arrival the next day.

"Well… It seems like you do like him more than a friend… And I think you are doing the right thing by letting him sort out his feelings after such a devastating loss. Has he expressed any feelings towards you in the last little bit?" Dr. Bourdais asked her patient. "I-I… I guess you could say that…" the young woman hesitated. " _Wendy?_ " Claire asked in a somewhat frustrated voice. "We've kissed a few times… A-And… We… Uh…" the slender woman said as her porcelain skinned face turned a bright shade of red that threatened to match her hair. "What did you do?" an interested doctor asked. "We… Uh… Okay, this is kinda hard to admit… But we did it… We had sex…" the redhead said as she tried to sink into the firm hospital bed. She was thoroughly embarrassed by the revelation. Not because of the fact that she had sex with Dipper; that she was fine with. It was that she was being so open and honest to a complete stranger.

"Well… The best thing I could suggest is that you talk about things and just figure out how both of you feel. The last thing either of you want to do is mislead or hurt one another…" Claire advised the younger woman. "Yeah… I can't wait to see him tomorrow… I-I am getting out tomorrow, aren't I?" Wendy asked her doctor. "Well… I still have to file the proper paperwork and such, but if you really do feel as good as you say you do, then I'm alright with letting you leave… Provided you find a psychiatrist and make regular appointments, of course" Dr. Bourdais informed the young woman. "O-Of course! I promise I'll go see a head doctor to get this all cleared up! I-I mean it worked for Dipper… Now all he has to do is take a pill!" the auburn haired woman said excitedly as her freedom seemed within reach.

"Ms. Corduroy… What may have worked for Dipper may not work for you, so I'd dial back those expectations a bit" the chestnut haired woman said with a bit an annoyed voice. "Sorry… I-I just wanna see my friends and family… I wanna tell them that I was stupid and that I'll be alright…" the redhead said with eagerness brimming in her voice. "And you will… but just because you're out of the hospital, it doesn't mean that you're fully healed. It might be a long and tough road ahead… Some days may be great… And others not so much. I'm sure you're friend Dipper still struggles from time to time. Think of it as more of a management plan rather than out and out cure" the doctor stressed to the overzealous young woman.

"You're right… I'm sorry Claire…" Wendy said in a somewhat sullen voice. "No need to apologize. I'm sure if the roles were reversed, I'd be eager to get out of here too…" the thirtysomething woman said with a chuckle. Dr. Bourdais got up from her chair and grabbed her now empty coffee cup. The chestnut haired woman was about to exit the room when the now familiar voice of Wendy caused her to pause. "Thank you for everything you've done. I was in a pretty bad way, but now I see that I can't just keep everything bottled inside and that it's alright to show your emotions every now and again" the young officer said in a sincere tone.

"You're very welcome Wendy. I only ask one thing of you…" Claire said to the ginger woman. "And what would that be?" asked the eldest Corduroy child. "I ask that I never have to see you in here again. You're a bright young lady and I think you're meant for great things. I truly hope that you continue your treatment and learn to manage these feelings in a more constructive manner than self-harm…" the doctor pleaded to her patient. "I usually don't make promises… But for you I'll make an exception… Alright Dr. Bourdais, I promise that you'll never see me here again. Thanks for all you've done!" the auburn haired woman said as she lay her head back down onto the firm hospital bed pillow. "Thank you Wendy… And good luck!" the doctor said as she exited the room.

Dipper lay down in his bed as the calm Saturday drew to a close. The seventeen year old's body was tired, but his mind raced with thoughts of Wendy Corduroy and what he would say to her tomorrow morning. "Why do I even bother trying to practice these conversations in my mind? All it ever does is get me wound up before the fact and when it actually comes time to speak, nothing goes the way I thought it would. I just need to relax and take what happens tomorrow as it comes… I just hope Wendy is alright…" the brown haired teen thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in releasing this chapter, but I went on vacation for the weekend. Being in a crowd of over seventy thousand people in the hot Florida sun was fun, but I'm glad to get back to writing. Thanks again for all the encouraging PM's and reviews! I read every one of them and try to respond when I can. Only a few more chapters left to go in this story! What will happen when Wendy leaves the safety of the hospital? Will Dipper and Wendy realize their feelings for each other? Will Stan be packed and ready to go on Sunday night? Stay tuned!

The playlist that fueled this chapter:

Metric – On A Slow Night

JEFF The Brotherhood – Black Cherry Pie

New Politics – One Of Us

Sir Sly – High

The Strokes – 12:51

Trapdoor Social – Winning As Truth

Cage The Elephant – Cold Cold Cold

Banks & Steelz – Giant

Blink-182 – Home Is Such A Lonely Place

Bastille – Good Grief

Bad Religion – Los Angeles Is Burning

LP – Lost On You


	17. Chapter 17

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Seventeen

Standard I don't own Gravity Falls, the characters or anything much for that matter legal crap.

Dipper Pines was jarred awake by the alarm he had set on his phone the night before. Normally the seventeen year old wouldn't have woken up at such an early hour on a Sunday morning, but today was different. While the rest of the inhabitants of the Mystery Shack slept, the brown haired teen stressed over what to wear when he met Wendy outside of the hospital. Glancing over at the clock that adorned the wood panel wall of his room, he wondered if anyone else in Gravity Falls was even awake at 5:30am. "Maybe I'm overthinking all of this…" the teenager thought aloud to himself as he continued to search his still unpacked suitcase for the perfect outfit.

After about twenty minutes of searching, Dipper settled on a pair of slim straight blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt and a red flannel shirt. The brown haired teen sat on the end of his bed as he slid his black skate shoes onto his feet. Tying the white laces, Dipper stood up and walked towards the full length mirror that resided on the back of his closet door. After taking a look at his outfit, the awkward teen drew a deep breath and began to think of ways to greet the young woman later that morning. "Just be yourself and speak from the heart" the voice of his deceased sister echoed in his head as he remembered going through the same routine before his first official date with Pacifica. "She was right then and she's right now…" the teenager said aloud to himself.

Wendy tossed and turned in her hospital bed as the nightmare that haunted the young woman returned once again. With her gun drawn, she pressed her back against the open door of the police cruiser. This time was different though. Time seemed to stop all around her as she stood up from the safety of the door and turned to face the scene playing out in front of her. Pacifica and Mabel stepped forward from their captor and walked down the large set of marble stairs. Wendy sprinted towards the pair of girls and wondered what awaited when they met. "Wendy… You know this will kill you if you don't let it go" Mabel said to the redhead in a flat tone. It was very unsettling to the young woman, as she was used to the brunette teen's more perky way of speaking. "Yeah… And if it kills you, then it will inevitably kill Dipper too…" Pacifica added. "Guys… I am… I-I'm going to see a psychiatrist and get this all sorted out. I just want to be me again!" the auburn haired woman bellowed in a fit of frustration. "Save yourself, to save him and save the world!" the pair of teen girls said as the dream ended suddenly.

Wendy shot up from her hospital bed as a cold sweat covered her body. "What the fuck was that about?!" she asked herself. While she was glad that this nightmare at least wasn't a play by play of the traumatizing night from two weeks ago, this one seemed infinitely more frightening somehow. Just what did the pair of deceased teenage girls mean? Why was saving Dipper so important to saving the world? These and many other questions raced through the mind of the young officer as she stared out the window of her hospital room. It was still dark outside, which let Wendy know that she had to get back to sleep as her doctor instructed her to do. While her heart was beating out of her chest and mind was running wide open, the auburn haired woman was determined to leave the hospital later that morning. After taking a few moments to calm down, Wendy lay her head back down and drifted off to sleep once again.

Dipper managed to pass the time by writing in his journal, a blue book which was adorned with a golden Big Dipper and numerous bedazzled stars. The book was a gift which Mabel presented to her twin brother on his sixteenth birthday, much to his surprise. If a fire ever broke out, the journal would be the first item the teenager would search for and take with him. It was a lasting reminder of the space he occupied in his sister's heart and he treasured it with every fiber of his being. The book was a combination of his internal thoughts, day to day activities, and log of oddities he came across both in Gravity Falls and his hometown of Piedmont. The morning sun rose through the blinds of the brown haired teen's room as his excitement level grew.

It was now seven-thirty, which meant that the other residents of the Mystery Shack were likely awake and seeking nourishment in the kitchen of the wooden structure. Opening the door to his bedroom, the smell of frying bacon hit his nose, confirming his suspicions. "Morning Dip!" bellowed Soos from the kitchen table, where he was joined by Melody, Stan, and Ford. "Hey guys!" the seventeen year old responded to his extended family. He hated to admit it, but once Ford and Stan left the next morning, the rest of the summer looked to be a bit more boring. It would be himself, Soos and Melody in the Mystery Shack for the rest of the summer. He didn't want to complain, but without Mabel's quarks the place tended to be a bit on the dull side.

"You look good" Melody said to the brown haired teen. "Thanks…" Dipper sheepishly replied as he took a seat at the table. After filling his plate with scrambled eggs, bacon and some toast, the slender teenage boy dug in to his meal. "Slow down dude! You're going to choke if you eat that fast…" a concerned Soos advised his good friend. "Sorry…" the brown haired teen said through a mouthful of food. "I know you want to get up to the hospital, but I'm pretty sure you don't wanna be in it yourself…" Melody chuckled. "Yeah… you're right…" Dipper replied to the motherly figure.

"So… Grunkle Stan, where is it that you guys are off too tomorrow?" the seventeen year old asked the older man who sat across the table. "Well… first we're off to Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey to catch up with some old friends… and then… well, I'm not sure actually…" the usually confident man said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Wherever the spirit of adventure takes us!" Ford replied in an enthusiastic voice. "In other words… You have no idea… Do you Sixer?" Stanley said as he playfully punched his twin brother in his shoulder. The two shared a chuckle as they continued their meal.

After breakfast, the Mystery Shack crew got ready for the morning rush of visitors that would come to visit the North Oregon oddity. "I've been so wrapped up in going to see Wendy that I forgot about helping out today…" Dipper said to himself. His thoughts were interrupted when a large hand touched his shoulder. It belonged to the new Mister Mystery himself, Soos. "Dude… I couldn't help but overhear you… Don't worry, I got it covered. Go to her… She needs to see a friendly face when she gets out…" the larger man said to his good friend. "Thanks Soos!" the brown haired teen boy said as he turned around to face his suit clad buddy. "No problem bro! I think I may have found some help for the shack as well, so you and Wendy can just hang out this summer and figure things out. Soos stepped forward and trapped the teenager in one of his signature bear hugs. "Tell Wendy that we all said hi!" the larger man said as he broke the embrace. "Of course…" the flannel clad teen reassured his friend.

Dipper grabbed his car keys off the wooden hook that resided beside the front door of the Mystery Shack. Walking through the dirt parking lot of the tourist attraction, the teenager heard the familiar rumble of buses making their way towards him. Getting into his late sixties muscle car, the brown haired teen buckled his seat belt and put the key into the ignition. With a twist, the black vehicle roared to life, causing a few birds to flee the trees nearby. Every time he drove the Fjord Stallion the teen was reminded of how relentless Pacifica had been in getting him the car for his sixteenth birthday.

Usually, Dipper would have turned on the radio and rocked out to some music, but today he was more focused on his destination rather than the journey. The twenty minute car ride felt like an eternity as the teenager traveled to hospital. Pulling into the parking lot of the large facility, the teenager found an empty spot and parked the car. Dipper sunk into the leather bucket seat of the muscle car and drew a deep breath. After a short walk, the teenager found himself inside the now familiar waiting room of Gravity Falls Regional Medical Center. Looking around the large space, he spotted some familiar faces. Tambry, Nate, Lee, Thompson, and the Corduroy family occupied a row of seats along one of the walls. The slender teen boy walked over and took an empty seat next to Tambry.

"So… any word on when she's getting out of here?" Dipper asked as he looked down at his phone. The screen displayed a time of '9:41am'. "Nah… they came out, like, an hour ago and said that it'd be soon…" the purple haired woman said as she shrugged her shoulders and returned to her phone. The brown haired teen opened an app on his phone and began to play a puzzle game to pass the time. A few minutes later, a tall woman in a bright white lab coat approached the group. "Wendy's all ready to go" she informed the group. Manly Dan Corduroy rose from his chair and greeted the chestnut haired woman. "Doctor Bourdais, thanks again for everything you've done for my little girl!" the woodsman said in a thankful tone. "No problem Mister Corduroy. She has a lot of people who care about her, and that will be very helpful in her recovery" the thirtysomething doctor replied.

Claire walked over to a wooden door and opened it. After a moment, Wendy stepped through the door frame and entered the waiting room. The young woman was adorned in her now trademark look of skinny blue jeans, a light grey t-shirt and her green flannel shirt. The arms of the long shirt were rolled up to the middle of her forearm, revealing the bandage that covered the auburn haired woman's self-inflicted wound. On the other wrist, a hospital band hung loosely from her slender wrist. Although Dipper wanted to run over to his crush and envelop her in a hug, he thought better of it and let the Corduroy clan approach first.

"Wendy!" Clyde Corduroy exclaimed as he approached his older sister. "Hey guys!" the redhead enthusiastically replied to her family. Wendy and her three younger brothers shared a group hug as Manly Dan and the teenagers looked on from a distance. "I'm so, so sorry for scaring you guys… You must hate me…" the young woman said as a frown formed on her face. "Nah… you know we love you no matter what…" Jonas Corduroy reassured his older sister. "Yeah… what you did was stupid as hell… but you're our big sis…" Mark Corduroy comforted the upset ginger woman. "Thanks dudes… You're right… Once a Corduroy, always a Corduroy!" the young officer said with vigor. "From the womb to the tomb!" the siblings said in unison, followed by some laughter.

Manly Dan walked over to his eldest child and put a hand on her shoulder. "Wendy… I have a lot to say… First of all… I'm sorry for what I did when you signed up to become a cop… I was just scared of you getting hurt… But I shouldn't have acted the way I did… It was so, so selfish of me… Can you ever forgive me for being so foolish?" the large woodsman said as he looked down at his daughter. Wendy wrapped her father up in a hug, taking care not to hug too hard with her injured wrist. "Of course I can Dad… I get it, really I do…" the young woman said as she began to tear up. All five members of the family embraced as the friends of Wendy looked on. "We'll let you catch up with your friends, but promise me you'll give us a call later" Dan told his daughter. "Of course I will. I've got so much to tell you guys…" the auburn haired woman replied to her father.

Wendy walked over to her group of friends as the Corduroy's left the hospital. "Hey guys… I just wanna say thanks for coming… It means a lot… And… I'm really sorry for scaring you guys, especially you Dipper and Tambry" the young woman said. "We're just glad you're okay…" Nate said. "Yeah… I had no idea you were so upset… I guess that makes me a pretty shitty best friend…" Tambry expressed to the redhead. "No you're not… Not one bit. Tambry… You're my girl… And nothing is ever going to change that… Besides, conversation is a two way street… So, yeah…" Wendy reassured her best friend as they embraced. "By the way, I won the pool…" the violet haired woman whispered as a smirk appeared across her face before pulling away from the hug. "Well… me and the guys have to get going, but let me know when it's alright with you and we'll throw that party I was planning" Tambry said as the group waved goodbye. "Alright… Sounds like a plan!" the redhead said as her friends departed the waiting room.

Dipper and Wendy were left alone in the waiting area. "Dude… I-I'm sor-" was all the auburn haired woman was able to get out before she was silenced by a set of lips meeting her own. Wendy melted into the kiss as a warm feeling rushed over her. Time seemed to stand still as two became one and after what seemed like several minutes, Dipper finally removed his lips from hers. "I'm just so glad you're alright… I was scared I'd lost you too… After what happened… I-I can't wait any longer… So I'm just gonna say it…" the brown haired teen stammered as Wendy looked on. "I-I love you Wendy! I love you so much! I promise we'll get through this together…" Dipper erupted in an emotional outburst.

A deep blush formed on the porcelain skinned cheeks of Wendy Corduroy as she had just heard her crush confesses his love for her. The redhead was relieved that her feelings were reciprocated by the brown haired teenage boy. After taking a moment to take in the revelation, the auburn haired woman responded. "Since we're admitting things… I-I love you too Mason… I have for a while now… I'm sorry that I was so foolish when we were younger. It was clear then, and even more so now that we just get each other. I love you so much man!" the green flannel clad woman said as she wrapped her love in a hug.

The pair got up and left the hospital waiting room as the sun hung high in the cloudless sky. It was a perfect summer day as Mason and Wendy made their way towards his car. "How'd you get here?" asked the redhead as she failed to see either her truck or Soos' work truck. The couple made their way to a nearly fifty year old muscle car. "I flew here…" the brown haired teen said with deep sarcasm. Wendy playfully punched the seventeen year old in the arm as she wasn't satisfied with his smartass answer. "Dude, seriously…" the auburn haired woman said to Dipper as he nursed his sore arm. The teen opened the door to his car as his crush looked on. "Very funny…" Wendy said through the open window as he took a seat in the black Fjord Stallion Fastback. "Seriously… get out before you get in trouble…" the twenty year old woman said with a hint of concern in her voice. Dipper wanted to see how far he could take this. The teenager patted the leather bucket seat next to him, inviting the redhead to join him in the vintage car. "I-I don't know… We could get in a lot of trouble for this…" the young woman stammered as she made her way to the passenger side door.

Dipper took a moment to put his keys in the visor of the car, to continue the charade. "It is a pretty badass car…" the redhead hesitantly said as she grasped the chrome door handle and opened it. Wendy took a seat in the car and took in the sights around her. Her newly professed love Mason Pines sat in the driver's seat of the classic car. She expected the seventeen year old to look out of place behind the wheel of the muscle car, but much to her surprise it seemed to suit him. It made him look a bit like a badass, and Wendy was taken by it. Dipper flipped the visor down and a metal clang echoed through the car as the keys landed on his lap. "Well, well, well… Look what I found…" the teen said as he shook the keys in front of Wendy's face, tantalizing the twenty year old.

It harkened back to her high school years, when her crew would go around town and cause mischief. If the redhead was being honest with herself, this wouldn't be the first time she'd stolen a car in Gravity Falls. When she was fifteen, her friends Nate and Lee managed to pilfer one of the town's police cars right from under then Sherriff Blubs and Deputy Durland. Without waiting for an answer, Dipper put the keys into the ignition and the muscle car roared to life. "Okay… This has gone on long enough… Dipper…" the young woman pleaded as the teenager put the car into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. Dipper put the car into drive and pushed down the accelerator, causing the car to slightly burn out before taking off down the parking lot.

Wendy gripped the dashboard with both hands as the car traveled faster and faster. "Mason… Please! We're gonna get caught! Do you really want Grand Theft Auto on your rap sheet!?" the auburn haired woman pleaded as the teen approached the end of the parking area. Dipper slammed on the brakes as he reached the end of the parking lot, leaving a rubber trail behind as the tires desperately tried to stop the vehicle in time. The teen turned on his blinker and pulled onto State Route 668 and headed towards downtown Gravity Falls. "Mason Alexander Pines! PULL OVER RIGHT NOW!" the redhead bellowed to the driver as a smirk appeared on his face. "What are you gonna do? Arrest me for auto theft?" he said with a daringly sarcastic voice. Part of him felt horrible for putting her through something like this after what she had just been through. He knew Wendy enjoyed a good prank, but could she handle it right now? What if he hurt her? After mulling over the options, the teenager pulled into a nearby parking lot. Wendy opened her eyes to find that they had come to stop at the Gravity Falls Police Department. "Really?!" Wendy asked incredulously.

Dipper began to laugh hysterically as the engine continued to idle with a dull rumble. "And just what the hell is so damn funny?!" asked Wendy in an angry voice. The teenager took a moment to collect himself before he let his crush in on his prank. "Well… Ha… You see… HaHaHa… I-I'm sorry… This is my car! HaHaHa!" the teen struggled to say as he leaned against the steering wheel. He glanced over through tear filled eyes to see that the angry expression of his crush had turned into one of pure befuddlement. "Dude… quit fucking with me! I-I…" the young woman said before being interrupted by his lips. Wendy was so confused. How should she feel? On the one hand, she should be angry for him being such an ass. On the other hand, it was pretty funny looking back on it. That and she was pretty excited that her crush had an awesome set of wheels!

"I-I'm sorry… I just thought that this would get your mind off of whatever was going on in there… I get it if you're mad at me…" the brown haired boy said with a sullen voice. After mulling it over for a moment, she had reached a conclusion. "You're an ass…" she said dismissively as a smile broke across her face. "Thanks for forgiving me… I-It's just that I know how much you love a good prank" the relieved teenager said to his crush. "That I do… That I do…" the young woman said as he looked over at her once again. "So… Where to next?" asked Wendy. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving" Dipper replied. "Yeah, I can eat… That hospital food blew…" the auburn haired woman said. "Greasy's?" the pair asked in unison. After a chuckle, Dipper put the car into drive and headed towards their next destination.

Author's note: Thanks once again for all the awesome reviews and feedback! We're heading towards the end of this story, but rest assured that I've come up with at least a half a dozen one shots that take place in this universe… So stay tuned for that!

Once again, some of my playlist that helped me write this chapter.

Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks

Thrice – Black Honey

Halestorm – Amen

Art Of Dying – Sorry

September Mourning – 20 Below

Coldplay ft. The Chainsmokers – Something Just Like This

All Time Low – Dirty Laundry

Throw The Fight – Bury Me Alive

Papa Roach – Help

Avenged Sevenfold – God Damn

Young Guns - Bones


	18. Chapter 18

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Eighteen

Dipper and Wendy's stomachs were growling as the newly minted couple headed towards the town's only diner, Greasy's. The black Fjord Stallion Fastback pulled into the dirt parking lot of the restaurant, kicking up a bit of dust as it did so. Finding an open parking spot at the far end of the building, Dipper turned off the rumbling muscle car. The auburn haired woman opened her door and swung her feet out; her black and white low top sneakers making contact with the somewhat uneven ground. Her brown haired accomplice joined her in exiting the vehicle. "Dude, aren't you gonna roll up the windows?" the young woman asked with concern. "Nah… I checked the weather and they're not calling for rain…" the seventeen year old dismissively said as he climbed the front stairs of the restaurant.

Dipper and Wendy took a seat at a booth in the middle of the bustling diner. After a few moments of getting settled, a waitress appeared. "Hi! I'm Alexa and I'll be your waitress today! Our special is the Coffee Omelet. What would you like to drink while you're deciding?" the bubbly blonde haired woman asked. "I'll have a coffee…" Wendy countered to the waitress' query. "Great choice! And for you sir?" the shorter woman asked Dipper. By his estimate, she was barely five feet tall and didn't appear to be much older than him. "The same" he answered. "Okay! Be right back!" the waitress said as she quickly jotted the order down and took off towards the counter.

"So… I-I know that what we said back there… Um… Uh… Are we?... Uh, ya know?" the seventeen year old stammered. "Dude… Dude… Are you asking if we're official?" the redhead replied as a light blush came over her freckled cheeks. "Well… Uh… I-I guess I am…" the teen said as he struggled to get the words out. Wendy thought that the brown haired teenager's awkwardness was cute and wanted to laugh, but thought better of it. "I'd love to be your girlfriend Mason Pines…" the young woman said as she reached across the linoleum table and grasped his hand. "Well… I-I'd love to be your boyfriend, Gwendolyn Blerble Corduroy…" the brown haired teen said as his face began to blush as well.

The pair stared into one another's eyes as time stood still. The emerald of Wendy's eyes stood out even more than usual for Dipper. Those trusting, honest eyes of his now girlfriend mesmerized and entranced him. Wendy looked deep into the chocolate brown eyes of her newly minted boyfriend. They were placid and confident, even if the rest of the seventeen year old wasn't. The couple was interrupted by the delivery of their piping hot drinks. "So, have you guys decided yet, or do you need a few more minutes?" Alexa asked. "I'll take some scrambled eggs… A-And… And some bacon… And some oatmeal too!" the excited redhead blurted out. It had been a couple of days since the young woman had enjoyed a decent tasting meal and she was beyond hungry. "Great! And for you sir?" the blonde asked as she turned her attention to Dipper. The slender teen boy had filled up with his traditional Mystery Shack breakfast before meeting Wendy, so his appetite didn't match hers. "I-I'm good with my coffee… Thanks…" the teen said, which drew a quizzical look from the waitress. "Alright… I'll have the food out shortly" Alexa said as she walked away from the couple.

"Are you sure it's her?" asked a grizzled man to a brunette woman in a hushed tone. "Yeah… I'd know that bitch anywhere…" the tattooed woman curtly replied. "I can't believe she would dare to show her face here after she let those kids die…" the black haired man said to his wife while he scratched the stubble on his chin. "So, hold up… Let me get this straight… She gets them killed and now she's trying to make moves on the boyfriend of one of them?" a second woman asked. "I know… right?! What a skank! Imma go say something to her… Preying on that poor boy like that…" the first woman said to her husband as she stood up from her stool. "I'm coming with… I want to give her a piece of my mind. What if it had been our daughter who was killed by that asshole? Someone needs to tell her that she should leave town, before anyone else gets hurt…" the man said as he joined his wife and made their way over to the couple sitting in a booth.

Wendy and Dipper continued to hold hands on the somewhat sticky table as they awaited her meal. The auburn haired woman still couldn't believe that she was now Mason's girlfriend. All of those feelings she kept hidden were now allowed to show themselves and it felt as if a weight were lifted from her. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" a shrill voice yelled as Wendy was snapped back to reality. "Yeah… You have some nerve showing up here!" the black haired man said in a gruff tone. The expression on the ginger woman's face turned from one of pure bliss to confusion in mere moments. She turned her head to look at the couple who had just accosted her. "Can I help you?" asked Wendy in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Yeah… you can get out of here and leave this poor boy alone!" the brown haired woman said as she glared down at the seated twenty year old. "Excuse me!?" the redhead asked in an angry tone. She was used to people speaking in hushed voices behind her back, but up until this moment, no one had been brazen enough to confront her. "You heard her! Get out of here!" the grizzled man said to the young officer as he pointed towards the exit of the diner.

"Hey man, leave her alone!" Dipper addressed the man as his fists balled up, turning his knuckles white. "Yeah! I don't know what your deal is, but we're just trying to grab a bite to eat, so step off dudes!" the redhead added. "Son, can't you see what she's doing? She's trying to be seen with you so she doesn't look like the terrible person we all know she really is…" the black haired man said in a condescending tone as Dipper rose from his seat. "I don't know who you are, but you clearly don't know her. I do. You better apologize to Wendy right now!" the teenager demanded as he poked his finger towards the much larger man's chest. A steely gaze came from the young man as he defended his girlfriend's honor as best he could. "No way kid! I'm sorry for what happened to you, but she's a terrible excuse for a person and I want her to know that. I have a little girl, and she could have been hurt too! With her walking the streets as a cop, who's to say she won't be?" the man said as he raised his voice.

Wendy's emerald eyes filled with tears as she continued to hear the hurtful insults. "You think I don't feel bad about what happened!?" the auburn haired woman exclaimed as she slammed her fists on the table and the rest of the diner's patrons stopped whatever they were doing to watch the developing scene unfold. "Just leave us alone!" Dipper yelled as he took a step towards the larger man. Dipper stood at just under six feet tall, while the person harassing him was a few inches taller. Wendy joined her boyfriend as she stood up from the booth. "Get out of here! Nobody wants you here anymore!" the black haired man yelled at the much more petite redhead. "Look… I'm giving you one last chance to get lost before I call the police!" Wendy warned as she shook with a combination of anger and sadness. "What do you think they're gonna do? Probably nothing just like you did…" the woman said with a scoff. Wendy removed her phone from her purse and began to dial a number before she briefly saw something fast approach her face.

The fist of the black haired man made contact with Wendy Corduroy's cheek, causing her to fall backwards to the hard wooden floor below. Dipper lunged towards the man and tackled him to the ground, unleashing a fury of punches on the larger opponent. Wendy sat up on the floor as shock washed over her. There was no way that she had just been punched in the face by a much larger man in the middle of a packed diner. This had to be yet another nightmare. Surely she would wake up in the uncomfortable hospital bed any minute now. After taking a minute to collect herself, she realized that what was happening was in fact real. She could see Dipper beating the snot out of the man who had struck her, while the mouthy wife pleaded for him to stop his assault of her husband.

Wendy stood up and walked over to the brawl that continued on the wooden floor of the rustic diner. "DIPPER! DIPPER! STOP! You're gonna kill him dude! He's not worth it!" the auburn haired woman begged as her voice became horse. The seventeen year old's barrage of punches slowed as he realized that he was upsetting his girlfriend. Still straddling the now bloodied man, he stopped and looked at the product of his rage. The man wore the proverbial crimson mask and definitely had a broken nose. He may have received a broken eye socket as well, but the brown haired teen was unsure of that. Dipper stood up as his hands radiated with pain, particularly his already broken one. The pink and purple cast was painted with the crimson blood of the black haired man.

Chief Blubs entered the familiar diner, where he had hoped to grab a bite to eat. Instead, he came upon a large crowd centered on the floor of the diner. Making his way through the patrons of the restaurant, he came upon the scene everyone was looking at. On the floor was Owen Hemphill, a lifelong troublemaker who Blubs knew all too well. He looked to be accompanied by his wife Madison, who had drastically changed her look since he had booked the couple in jail a few weeks ago. "Hemphill… I should have known you'd be involved in this…" the larger African American man said with a sigh. "I-It wasn't his fault chief… This kid came out of nowhere and started wailing on Owen!" the brunette woman accused as she pointed towards Dipper Pines. Chief Blubs was skeptical of the outlandish claims until he saw the incriminating blood that stained the teenager's fists.

Dipper continued to breathe heavily as he stood in place, the blood dripping off of his hands and onto the dark oak floors of the diner. He was accompanied by Wendy Corduroy, who sported a pretty nasty black eye. Alexa brought over a bag filled with ice and placed it on the countertop next to the auburn haired woman. The young officer noticed the bag and mouthed a silent " _Thank You_ " to the thoughtful waitress as she picked it up and placed it on her sore face. "Son, what happened here?" Blubs asked the flannel clad teenager. "Wendy and I were waiting for our food, when these people come up to us and start yelling at her to leave. I told them to leave a few times, but they wouldn't take a hint. I stood up to show him I was serious. They continued to run their mouth, so Wendy pulled out her phone to call you guys… And… A-And he hit her… Like, right in the face. I got angry and started fighting him… And… Well… Here we are now…" the seventeen year old recalled to the Chief of Police.

"I see…" Blubs said to the brown haired boy. He decided to believe the younger teen, as he had a lot of credibility and was anything but a troublemaker. He walked over to the bloodied man, who now sat up against the front of the counter. "Owen… I could put you away for a long time for this… But you just got out… And it's a pretty open and shut case…. So… I'm going to give you an option here. Either you go over and apologize to Ms. Corduroy and Mr. Pines and you leave them alone from now on, or I'll take you to jail… The ball is in your court…" the portly policeman said. Madison whispered something to her husband and a bit of hushed arguing began between the two. After a minute of deliberation, the black haired man offered up a response to the Chief's offer. "I-I'll do it…" the man said dejectedly.

Madison helped Owen to his feet as he made his way over to the younger couple. "I-I'm sorry for what I said and did… I was wrong… Sorry…" the man said half-heartedly. "Whatever…" Wendy replied. Owen and Madison made their way through the crowd and left the diner. "Are you okay Corduroy?" asked Chief Blubs with genuine concern. At first, the older officer was apprehensive about hiring the young and wild woman, but he came to respect her dedication to the job. It pained him to see her have to deal with such a traumatic event. The rotund man glanced down at the twenty year old's wrists and noticed the bandage that adorned her left one and a hospital band adorning the right. Blubs put two and two together and suddenly realized how naïve his question was. "I've been hit harder by women before. I think I'll live…" the auburn haired woman nonchalantly replied.

"Mr. Pines… As the Chief of Police, I'd advise you to keep out of trouble from now on… As a man with a common sense of decency, I'd like to tell you how proud of you I am for standing up to that no good punk and his poor excuse of a wife" the man said as he smiled. "Thanks… I guess…" Dipper said as he was a little unsure of how to respond. "You two stay out of trouble now… alright?" the Chief asked. "Yes sir!" Dipper eagerly replied. "C'mon guys, the show's over! Get back to your delicious food before I help myself to it..." the man said with a chuckle as he took a seat at the far side of the counter. "Hey Alexa! Can I get that to go?" Wendy shouted over the counter to the waitress. "Sure thing!" she cheerfully replied as she rushed off to the kitchen. "We'll eat at the Shack…" Dipper offered. "Sounds good to me… At least there I won't get accosted by some dumbass and his skank ass wife…" she responded. Alexa reappeared with a black foam container, which contained Wendy's food. "What do I owe you?" asked the young woman as she reached into her purse to retrieve some cash. "It's been taken care of…" the bubbly woman answered. "You sure?" inquired a skeptical Wendy. "Yeah… It's cool… Just keep that bruise iced up, 'kay?" the blonde asked. "Okay… Oh, and this is for you…" the auburn haired woman said as she placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter. "Thanks! Come see us again soon!" the excited woman squeaked.

The couple exited the restaurant and made their way to Dipper's car. After getting inside, Wendy turned to the young man who defended her honor. "Mason… I-I just wanted to say… Thanks… Thanks for stan-" was all she was able to get out before his lips met hers. After the slight peck, he pulled away. "No problem… People like that suck… But they can't get away with that… I-I mean he hit you for crying out loud!… I think for the next couple of days we should lay low and let this blow over… We'll go to the Shack tonight so we can see Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford off in the morning… Then we can go and get some food and jus-" he said before being interrupted by a kiss from his girlfriend. "I swear… If you were gonna say 'WebStream and Chill'… this relationship would have been over…" she said with a chuckle as Dipper started up the car and pulled out of the Diner's parking lot. Turning on to Route 668, the black Fjord Mustang Fastback made it's way towards the Mystery Shack.

Author's Note: Thanks again for all the positive feedback and reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you look forward to the next installment of Echoes Of A Nearby Future! I have some one-shots lined up that will lead to my next Major story… Let's just say that a new generation will take up the family tradition of defending Gravity Falls from evil beyond this world.

My Playlist while writing this chapter:

Colony House – "You & I"

Pearl Jam – "Corduroy"

Laura Marling – "Wild Fire"

In This Moment – "Sick Like Me"

Thrice – "Hurricane"

Shinedown – "How Did You Love"

Korn – "Let The Guilt Go"

American Authors – "I'm Born To Run"

Three Days Grace – "The High Road"

Halestorm – "Mayhem"

Alterbridge – "My Champion"


	19. Chapter 19

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Nineteen

After a short drive, Dipper Pines pulled his 1968 Fjord Stallion Fastback into the dirt parking lot of the Mystery Shack. In the passenger seat was his girlfriend Wendy Corduroy, who looked eager to exit the vehicle and sit down to enjoy her meal. The seventeen year old turned off the rumbling muscle car and opened the door of the black classic car. He swung out of the leather bucket seat and planted his feet on the dusty and uneven ground of the parking lot. After rising to his feet and slamming the door shut, he walked over to the passenger side of the car, where his girlfriend attempted to carry her meal, a quickly melting bag of ice and a purse. Wendy's wrist was still sore from the self-inflicted wound and she struggled to both hold the food and pull herself out of the car. "Let me take that…" the brown haired teen offered as he placed his hands around the foam container. Wendy was able to use her good arm to pull herself out of the somewhat low vehicle and now stood next to her boyfriend. "He's always such a gentleman… What did I do to get such a great guy" the auburn haired woman swooned to herself.

The pair made their way into the wooden building and towards the kitchen in the back of the house. "Wendy!" shouted Soos, who was adorned in his Mr. Mystery get-up. The somewhat large man rushed over to his former coworker and good friend to check on her. Once the details of Wendy's hospitalization were revealed to Soos, he had grown deeply concerned about her. The scarlet haired woman was like the little sister that the only child never had. As such, he was somewhat protective of her and tried to help her out when she sought his advice. The fresh bruise on her face was cause for concern.

"Dude… What happened?! Are you alright?" Mister Mystery asked the former cashier. "Dip… Do you wanna take that one?" she asked as the twenty year old looked towards her boyfriend. "Well… Uh… You see…" the flannel clad teen said as he struggled to find the right way to describe the incident at Greasy's Diner. "This dude and his skank ass wife came over and started talking all this shit to me and Dip, so we told them to leave… They didn't… I told them I was going to call the cops and that's when the bastard hit me" Wendy interjected as Soos did everything in his power to keep his jaw from falling to the floor. "Then, Dipper saw red and just absolutely wailed on the dude until he broke his face. I had to stop him before he killed the guy" she continued to say as Soos looked on in disbelief.

"So… Blubs walked in at just the right time and was able to cut both that couple and us a deal and nobody got in trouble. He had to apologize to and leave us alone from now on and we had to accept it" the redhead finished as she took a seat at the kitchen table and opened her container of food. The smell of still warm eggs, bacon and oatmeal wafted up to the young woman's nose, causing her mouth to water. Dipper brought over the pot of coffee and a ceramic mug as the auburn haired woman dug into her meal. "Well… That really sucks dawgs… I-I'm sorry that people are total dillholes like that…" the larger man said to Dipper and Wendy. "It is what it is…" the redhead said through a mouthful of food.

Dipper poured himself a mug of the dark brew as Wendy continued to devour the meal in front of her. "I take it that this is the first real food you've had in a couple of days…" Soos said to the twenty year old woman. "Yeah… That food in the hospital sucked major ass…" the ginger woman said with a chuckle as she finished her food. Wendy was glad that she went on a run every morning through the forest and led a relatively active lifestyle; otherwise she was convinced she'd be extremely overweight due to her love of food. "Save some of your appetite for tonight dude, we're having a huge going away dinner for the Grunkles!" Soos informed the redhead as he headed back towards the front of the Mystery Shack. "Will do!" Wendy said as she shot a thumbs up at the portly man.

"So… What do you wanna do today?" asked Wendy to her boyfriend as she placed the dripping bag of ice to her swollen cheek and eye. "Well… I guess whatever you wanna do… I mean, you just got out of the hospital, so I guess just take it easy…" the brown haired teenager suggested. "Pfftt… Yeah right!… I was cooped up in there man! Let's go out in the woods somewhere… Ooo! I know! Let's go to that clearing by the bunker! I've always liked that spot!" the redhead offered. Dipper knew the place all too well. It was where he had confessed his love to Wendy the first time five years ago, only to be let down softly by the older teen girl. Later on, it had become a frequent spot for Dipper and Pacifica to hang out due to it's seclusion from the outside world, yet close proximity to the Mystery Shack. "That sounds great!" the seventeen year old boy exclaimed.

The brown haired teenager reached his good arm across the table to hold the hand of his girlfriend, but the freckled woman quickly pulled hers back. A frown developed on the young man's face as he wasn't quite sure why Wendy wouldn't want to join him. "Dude… If I'm gonna hold your hand, you might wanna clean it first… You still have that dumbass' blood and grey matter all over it…" the redhead pointed out to the oblivious boy. "Uh… Yeah… I-I'll be right back…" the teenager said as he pushed his chair back on the hardwood floor of the kitchen before retreating to the bathroom down the hall. After taking a minute to carefully clean the blood off his hands and cast, the teenager returned to the kitchen, only to find Wendy missing. "I wonder where she went" the teen thought to himself as he took note of her abandoned coffee mug.

Dipper entered the living room to find the ginger woman conversing with Stan and Ford. After waiting a moment for a break in the conversation, the young man walked up to the group. "I didn't know where you went…" the brown haired teen said. "I was just catching up with these two old codgers… Was telling them not to worry about me while they're out trying to be the most interesting men in the world…" she said with a laugh. Wendy opened her hand, wanting for her boyfriend to grasp it. Dipper took note of the offering and placed his somewhat larger hand inside of her petite one. "Don't worry… I have him to look after me now…" the scarlet haired woman said with a smile as the pair's clasped hands swung back and forth a bit. "Frankly, I'm thankful that you're keeping an eye on _him_ …" Stan said with a laugh. "Gotta watch out for this one… He's always getting mixed up in some crazy situation…" the gravelly voiced older man continued.

"We'll try to keep in touch as much as we can" Ford reassured the younger couple. "I look forward to it!" Dipper replied. Ford and Stan began to walk away, towards the gift shop of the Mystery Shack, before Stan paused and turned around. "By the way… Congrats you guys… I had a feeling you'd find your way to one another…" the older man said before continuing on his way. Wendy blushed a bit, as she still wasn't sure who knew that they were a thing yet. "So… you ready to go for a walk?" asked Dipper to his girlfriend. "Yeah… Let's just grab some water and go…" the young woman replied.

The couple exited the Mystery Shack and headed off down a well-worn trail behind the building, which led into the forest. "If you look close enough, I'm sure you'll see some bits of Mabel's sweaters… She was always complaining about how she was getting caught on things out here…" the brown haired boy recalled with both fondness as well as a bit of melancholy. "What I wanna know is how she managed to keep from sweating buckets wearing those things all summer" Wendy added. It had always been something she was curious about, but never felt comfortable asking the brunette teenager. "I gave up trying to figure out that one years ago…" the seventeen year old said with a laugh. "I can see it now… Today on Dipper's Guide To The Unexplained… Number Two… Mabel's ability to withstand blazing summer temperatures in heavy sweaters. How does she do it?" the scarlet haired woman said as she let out a laugh before realizing that her boyfriend may not be alright with her poking fun at his recently deceased twin sister. "HaHaHa! Maybe it's some sort of cooling yarn… Or some sort of anti-sweating spell!" the brown haired boy joined in as he laughed. The way he saw it, his twin sister like to poke fun at him from time to time about some of his idiosyncrasies, so she was fair game, even in death.

After a short hike, they reached their destination. A familiar log came into view and the couple walked towards it, taking a seat on it's well weathered bark. "It's so peaceful out here… I'd been so wrapped up in work and everything that I never took a moment and just chilled out like we used to" Wendy observed. "Yeah… I know what you mean… After Mabel and I graduated, our parents were kinda pressuring us to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives… Honestly, I think they just got used to the summers apart from us and wanted to make it a more permanent thing…" Dipper added. "So… What were your plans before… Well… Before all this happened?" Wendy asked the brown haired teenager. "We had both decided that we never felt more at home then when we were here in Gravity Falls… So we figured out that we'd move here after this summer. My parents wanted me to go to college, but I just couldn't see myself living that life. Mabel didn't have quite the grades that I did, so I doubt we would have ended up going to the same school, and as much as I love her… She's naïve as all hell. The college experience would have chewed her up and spit her out if she were on her own… So, we thought we'd move here and I'd start my paranormal show. She wanted to start up a designer sweater boutique with Pacifica in downtown… We-We had it all planned out… Then… Well… You know…" Dipper said as he began to choke up.

Wendy wrapped her arm over the shoulders of the upset teenage boy and began to slowly rub his back. "Dude… Dude… I know… But ya know what?..." she asked her boyfriend. "What?" the seventeen year old asked with a sniffle. "You can still do that whole show thing if you want… I-I can even help out… That is if you'd want me to…" the young woman hesitantly said. "I-I think that'd be cool…" the teen said as a smile broke on his face. The couple turned to face one another as the sun began to recede behind the increasing clouds. Dipper was amazed at how the retreating light managed to still light up the emerald eyes of his girlfriend. Instinctively, the pair leaned in to kiss, their lips making soft contact with one another's. The pair's lip lick began to intensify, as passion ran through both of their veins. Dipper ran his hands through Wendy's fiery mane as she rubbed the back of his head, rustling her fingers through his unruly chestnut locks. The young woman began to shrug out of her green flannel shirt as she began to feel the warmth of her blood flowing. Dipper was about to join his girlfriend in ditching his shirt when he was interrupted by a cool drop of precipitation that fell upon his face.

The pair began to laugh as the rain picked up, soon becoming a downpour. "Maybe we should pick this up later…" Wendy seductively whispered into her boyfriend's ear before pulling away to retrieve her stray shirt. A heavy blush came over the young man's face as he stood up from the log. "Yeah… you're right… We should get back before the going away party starts…" the teen boy said. Wendy turned around to face Dipper, only to be met with his crotch mere inches from her face. "Woah! Careful there… You almost took my other eye out there…" the young woman joked as the brown haired teen quickly turned away, thoroughly embarrassed. Wendy stood up and walked over to her mortified lover.

Wrapping her arm around his shoulder, she let out a laugh. "I was just kidding dude! Don't take it so _hard_! Lighten up, I don't want you getting all _stiff_ on me now…" the redhead continued to tease her boyfriend. "HAHAHA! You're _so_ funny…" the brown haired seventeen year old deadpanned to his girlfriend. "You're right… I was being a little tough on ya there… But seriously… We should get back… The party's due to start soon and I'm sure everyone will be glad to have our help setting it up… What _erection_ … I mean _direction_ is the Shack?" Wendy said with a chuckle. "Up your ass and around the corner…" the teen boy shot back in a deeply sarcastic tone before heading back towards the path.

"Sorry man… You know how I love a good pun… Please don't hate me?" the redhead pleaded. "Fine. But you owe me later…" the teenager said as he turned around with a wink. "Trust me… It will be worth it…" the young woman replied as she caught up to her boyfriend and once again clutched his friendly hand. After a short walk, the pair arrived at the Mystery Shack, just in time to help Melody and Soos finish the prep work for the party. "Sup dudes?!" asked the portly man, who had changed into a more casual attire of khaki shorts and a green Mystery Shack shirt. He stood on a chair as he hung a banner that read 'We'll miss you!'. Melody walked over to the couple and wrapped Wendy up in a hug. "Good to see you're doing better hun…" she said to the scarlet haired woman. "Thanks… I'm sorry if I scared you there… especially after the talk we had a few days ago. I'm going to go find a doctor that can help me out tomorrow… I promise" the young woman reassured the concerned wife of Soos. The two women broke the embrace as the men of the hour made their way outside to the party, as friends gathered to wish them well on their upcoming travels.

Author's note: Sorry this chapter took a bit longer to post; work has been tough lately and has left me with a bit of money, but not as much free time to write. There should only be two more chapters in this story until I begin the one-shots. I already have them planned out and at some point I'll release the timeline for the Shooting Star Falls universe. Thanks for the great reviews and feedback! It means a lot to me to know that you like what I'm writing. Until next time!

My Playlist while writing this chapter:

Magic Giant – "Set On Fire"

The Naked And Famous – "Punching In A Dream"

Portugal. The Man – "Feel It Still"

Robert DeLong – "Don't Wait Up"

888 – "Older Now"

Weezer – "Feels Like Summer"

Eve to Adam – "Straighjacket Supermodel"

Papa Roach – "Face Everything And Rise"

MisterWives – "Machine"

Trapdoor Social – "Winning As Truth"

Sleater-Kinney – "A New Wave"

Coin – "Talk Too Much"

Dreamcar – "Kill For Candy"

CHVRCHES – "The Mother We Share"

The White Stripes – "Fell In Love With A Girl"

Minus The Bear – "Last Kiss"


	20. Chapter 20

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Twenty

Stan and Ford made their way out onto the front porch of the Mystery Shack, where a large group of family and friends had gathered to say goodbye to the twins before they left on their next great adventure. Nearly the entire town had shown up for the event, which surprised the two older men a bit. "Thanks for coming…" Stan began. "Thanks for wishing us well on our next adventure… But let's be honest here… The reason we came back to Gravity Falls wasn't to share stories of adventure on the high seas… It… It was for a much more solemn reason. Nearly three weeks ago, we lost two wonderful young ladies who were full of life and promise… W-We lost them because of needless violence. So, please… Don't celebrate our leaving, because we should have never been here in the first place… Let's have some fun tonight… Because that's what Pacifica and Mabel would have wanted…" Stan finished as he tried his best not to choke up.

Ford placed a six fingered hand on the upper back of his brother before saying a few words himself. "Stan's right… Let's remember those girls and all they did for this town" the grey haired man said in his booming voice. He looked out at the crowd that had gathered at the impromptu speech. A pair of people caught his interest. His great nephew Dipper Pines was near the back of the crowd, while he held the hand of a clearly uncomfortable Wendy Corduroy. "It must be so hard for her to be here…" the wise old man thought to himself. "In addition to what Stanley had to say, I'd also like to take a moment to thank those brave people who rushed into that chaotic scene and tried their best to help… One woman in particular was put in a pretty rough spot and did the best she could to try and save not only those two wonderful young women, but also that troubled young man as well…" Ford continued as Wendy grew more apprehensive. "That woman is Officer Wendy Corduroy of the Gravity Falls Police Department… Wendy… Would you come up here please?" the bespectacled man asked.

Wendy's sweat drenched hand clutched her boyfriend's with all her might. She was afraid she may break it with how hard she was squeezing. "Go up there… Trust me…" Dipper said to the auburn haired woman. The teen boy looked into her eyes, only to find them full of fear. The ginger woman let out a large sigh before replying to Dipper. "Alright…" she dejectedly said as she let go of the brown haired teen's hand and made her way to the wooden front porch. After walking up a small set of stairs, she found herself staring out into a large crowd of townsfolk. The young woman's heart was beating out of her chest and she found herself drenched in sweat as she walked closer to the pair of old men.

Taking her place alongside Ford, the green flannel clad woman felt a reassuring hand pat her on the upper portion of her back. "Wendy… On behalf of myself, Stanley and the rest of the Pines family, I'd like to thank you for all you did in trying to save Pacifica and Mabel. That being said… It has come to my attention that not all of the residents feel the same as we do… And to them, I'd like to say that you should leave this poor woman alone. She did all she could, and while we lost Mabel and Pacifica, many more lives were saved that day because of the quick thinking of her and the other officers that responded. She has been unfairly talked about and even was physically assaulted today for no good reason..." the man said in a commanding voice as he tried to shame the townsfolk. The crowd let out an audible gasp at the revelation of Wendy's assault. While some of the residents had heard about the incident at Greasy's Diner earlier in the day, many wrote it off as pure gossip. Now, the evidence stood in front of them as clear as day. The young woman sported a bruised cheek and eye, which was only becoming more swollen by the minute.

"She's as much a part of this family as Pacifica and Mabel are, so if you have a problem with her, then you have a problem with all of us!" Stan interjected. "So… with that being said… let's just enjoy this nice day. Thank you all for showing up…" Ford finished as he, Stan and Wendy left the porch and the crowd dispersed. "Ford… I-I just wanted to say… thanks for those kind words up there…" the young woman said as she rubbed the back of her neck and looked away. "No problem… It's like I said… You gave so much that day, and they didn't recognize that. I just hope they took my words to heart and leave you alone…" the trench coat clad man said before he began to walk away. A smile formed on the redhead's face. "Hey Ford!" she shouted as the older man turned around just in time to become wrapped up in a tight hug. "Good luck out there, man!" she said as the scarlet haired woman released her grip. "Thanks Wendy!" Ford replied before he rejoined his brother.

"I told you to trust me… Grunkle Ford has wanted to say that for a while now… He's just glad that you're alright and that we have each other to get through this…" the teenage boy said as he shot a smile to his girlfriend. The expression was returned by the slightly taller woman and the two once again clasped hands. The couple was on their way over to a table full of food and drinks when they were interrupted by the Mayor of Gravity Falls, Tyler Cutebiker. "Officer Wendy Corduroy… On behalf of the town of Gravity Falls, Oregon… I'd like to apologize for our citizen's less than courteous treatment of you over the past few weeks…" the scrawny man said to the ginger woman. "Thank you Mayor Tyler…" Wendy replied as her emerald eyes filled with tears. "I-If you ever need anyone to talk to… Not as a mayor or anything, but as a friend… I'll be right here for you…" the man said as he placed his petite hand on the upper arm of the redhead in a reassuring manner. Wendy smiled as the mayor retracted his hand and walked away.

Throughout the course of the afternoon, this scene was repeated many times by the residents of Gravity Falls as they had come to realize the error of their ways. From friends she had known her whole life, to some of the newer residents of the small Oregon town, she had received apology after apology. By her side was her boyfriend Dipper Pines, who beamed with pride as his girlfriend received the recognition he felt she had deserved the entire time. "I guess it just took someone from the family to say that you did all you could for them to believe it…" the brown haired boy said in a somewhat sullen voice. While his twin sister was usually the one to get burned by trusting people too much and only expecting the best of them, this time it had been Dipper who ended being incredibly naïve. "Yeah… I'm just glad we can hopefully put this all behind us and just move forward with our lives…" the redhead said in a somewhat relieved voice.

The sun began to set in the evening sky as most of the residents made their way home to get ready for the upcoming work week. Dipper and Wendy found a couple of unoccupied camping chairs to sit on around a yet to be ignited fire pit. The pair held hands and sat in the relative peace and quiet of the somewhat secluded spot on the grounds of the Mystery Shack until they were interrupted by Wendy's father. The large and burly man took a seat on a tree stump that resided next to his daughter's chair. "So… are you going to be alright?" he asked his daughter. Wendy looked up into the green eyes of her father before answering. "I-I think so… I was just being stupid… But after talking to Dr. Bourdais and realizing that I am incredibly lucky to have a large group of people who care about me… I-I think I'm going to be alright" she said as a confident smile broke out on her freckled face. "I'm glad to hear that sweetheart… I was worried about you… To be honest, I always am… And that's not fair to you…" the large lumberjack said to his eldest child. Wendy was pleasantly surprised to hear her father open up and share his emotions with her. "I-I made some appointments to try and become more open with my feelings… I just can't punch and chop away everything in my life… I need to be understanding and take charge of my feelings… Instead of the other way around…" the burly man continued. Wendy was in shock as she heard her father confess that he tried to push his feelings aside. While there were far more terrible things he could have been doing to suppress his feelings, his short temper and tendency for destruction was one of his less than stellar traits.

"And who put these thoughts into your head, if I may ask?" asked Wendy coyly to her father. "That doctor you saw… Sh-She is a pretty smart woman…" the plaid adorned man said as he nervously played with his beard. The scarlet haired woman had seen this out of someone before, but not her father. Was it that he maybe had a crush on the doctor? "Dad… I-I'm not gonna beat around the bush on this one, but do you _like_ Claire?" the young woman asked her father, not sure if it was among her wiser choices in life. "I-I… Uh… Erm… I… I think she's a good doctor… I-I mean she took great care of my only daughter in her darkest hour… So… Uh… Yeah… I guess you could say that… I like her…" the usually confident lumberjack stuttered. "I mean as _more_ than a doctor?" Wendy egged her father on. "I… Uh…" the outdoorsman said hesitantly as he began to break out in a bit of nervous sweat. "C'mon man… She did say to be more open and honest with your emotions…" the redhead bravely continued as she applied a bit more pressure to her father as she grilled him for an answer.

"Maybe I do! So what!? I can like whoever I want lil missy!" the lumberjack erupted. Dipper's eyes widened as he was taken aback by the outburst. Up until that moment, he had been a discreet onlooker to the tender moment the Corduroys shared. "Dad! Dad! Chill! I-I think it's kinda cute… I can totally see you two together…" the young woman reassured her father. "Besides, you're not the only one in this family who's had a crush lately…" she said as the scarlet haired woman blatantly held out her and Dipper's clasped hands. "Who would that be? Mark? I-Is he talking to that burnout Stephanie again?! I told that boy that she'll only drag him down… He needs to focus on his school work if he doesn't want to be a junior again next year…" the large man asked, completely oblivious to the sign his daughter presented to him. "No… No… I mean, I don't think so… I haven't seen him in weeks, so he might be… But that's beside the point… Dad… I'm going out with Dipper" the woman beamed. "Oh… Well… Alright then…" the lumberjack said in a somewhat indifferent tone, which was not the reaction Wendy was expecting. "That's it? You're not angry or anything?" the redhead asked curiously. "Nah… I, mean… If I've learned anything about you in the last few months it's that you are not my little girl anymore… You're a grown woman and you are free to make your own choices… And I have to be alright with them, because they're yours to make, not mine. All I can do is be supportive of you and be there if you need me…" the burly man explained to his daughter as tears formed in her emerald eyes. "Besides… You could do a lot worse than him…" Manly Dan said as he looked in Dipper's direction.

"Well… I gotta get going… Work comes early and I have a long drive up to the lumber camp…" the burly outdoorsman said as he stood up from the stump. Wendy got up from her camp chair and wrapped her father in a hug. "Call me when you get back… Oh, and I'll talk to you tomorrow…" the young woman beamed. She was glad that for the first time in a while she was back on speaking terms with her father. "Alright sweetheart…" the large man replied before walking off to locate his sons and begin his journey back upstate. Wendy sat back down in the chair as a wave of relief washed over her. "You okay Wen?" asked Dipper to his girlfriend. "Yeah… I am… I actually am for once… Things are going pretty great right now. I mean, I have this awesome dude as my boyfriend… And my dad is talking to me again... So life is pretty great right now…" the young woman said as she shot a smile to the teenager; her bright white teeth shining in the twilight of the evening.

The couple's silent relaxation was suddenly interrupted by the voices of a group of rowdy and probably drunk twenty year olds who dragged some camp chairs up to the unlit fire pit. Wendy first observed the face of Tambry, illuminated by the glowing screen of her smart phone in the otherwise dimming light. Nate, Lee and Thompson soon joined the threesome. "Thompson, go get us some wood so we can get this fire started" instructed Nate to the somewhat portly man. "Why don't you get it?!" Thompson asked. It was unusual for the man to stand up to any member of the group when they requested him to do something and Wendy, as well as the others took note of it. "Because, you can carry more than anyone else" Nate replied in a somewhat unexpectedly calm response. "Oh, alright then… Be back in a sec…" the polo wearing twenty year old said as he walked off. Lee pulled out a lighter and lit some kindling on fire, causing some small flames to illuminate the night.

Thompson returned with a stack of firewood and the twenty year olds built a proper fire, which provided some much needed warmth as the temperature began to drop. Nate pulled a large cardboard box of aluminum cans in front of him and began passing them out to the underage partygoers. Wendy, Dipper and Tambry sat on the far side of the fire and Nate was comfortable in his chair, so he saw only one way to get the brews to his friends. "Hey guys, catch!" the tattooed man yelled before throwing a silver beer can over the flames and towards the trio. Dipper managed to catch the first can, which tumbled through the air towards his face. A second can, which almost fell into the campfire, was aimed at Tambry. Without looking up from her phone, the purple haired woman grabbed the can out of midair with her free hand in a move that would make most major league outfielders jealous. One last can made it's way over the fire. Wendy waited for the brew, not wanting to get struck by it. The throw was a little high and the redhead leaned back to try and save the beer from landing somewhere in the forest. The can made contact with both of her hands, but the momentum caused her to fall backwards, tripping over her chair. The scarlet haired woman landed with a thud onto the ground below. "Wendy!" Dipper cried out with concern as he shot up from his seat. Much to his surprise and relief, the young woman shot up from the ground unscathed. "I'm good! Now let's get our drink on dudes!" Wendy shouted as she made her way back to the campfire.

Over the next few hours, the group of friends laughed as they shared memories of summers gone by. Sometimes the stories would focus on Mabel or Pacifica and the mood would dampen a bit when they realized that the pair of teen girls wouldn't be a part of any new adventures they would have going forward. "Remember that party you threw a couple years back when your parents went on vacation Tambry?" Wendy asked her best friend. "Yeah?" the violet haired woman replied hesitantly as she shifted in her seat. While she managed to have a great time, there were some things she wasn't entirely proud to admit from that drunken night. "Were you there when that guy grabbed Mabel's ass and without hesitation she turned around and, like, straight up soccer kicked him in the dick?" Nate asked. "Nah… I-I was doing something else… That sounds hilarious though…" Tambry replied. "Yeah that night was pretty nuts..." Wendy said, as she recalled the less than fun night for her.

"Well… I promise that when I throw the next party, it'll be better… I mean, we don't have those two out of towners to start things this time…" the olive skinned woman reassured her friends. "What ended up happening to those two anyways?" asked Thompson. "They left later that summer and went back to the coast… I think…" Nate recalled. The night continued to roll on and after a few hours, the group of six had managed to kill the twenty four pack of beer. Tambry looked at the time displayed on her phone.'12:23am' the screen read. "Shit! I gotta get goin'… I-It's Monday morning… A-And I'm sposed ta be at work in a few hours" the still drunk woman slurred. "Yeah… You're right Tambers… We gotta split…" Nate agreed. "W-Wait…. Who… Who's drivin' you guys home?" Wendy drunkenly asked as she leaned forward in her camp chair. "I got this!" Thompson said in a confident voice. "B-But dude… Y-You've been drinkin' too man…" the redhead said as a drunken smile remained plastered on her freckled face. "Nah, I had that one beer a few hours ago, but I've been giving mine to Tambers since then, so I'm good. Plus we did take my mom's van…" the larger man reassured the tipsy ginger. "Oh… 'Kay then!" Wendy said as she stood up from the chair and stumbled over in his direction. "Th-Thanks… I-I love my friends… An I just want 'em to be safe… Thanks for bein' the smart one… You're always the safe one Thompson… " the redhead said as she fell forward and caught herself on the torso of the young man. "Th-Thanks Wendy…" Thompson said as he awkwardly helped the drunken woman back to her own two feet. "Y-You're gonna make some woman really happy someday…" the scarlet haired woman slurred to the confused man. Nate and Lee let out a laugh as the grabbed the man by his shoulders and walked him back towards the parking lot of the Mystery Shack.

Wendy wobbled back over to her camp chair and collapsed into it. Next to her, an equally drunk Dipper sipped on the remnants of his last beer. "Ya not mad… Are ya?" asked Wendy to her boyfriend. "Nah… Thompson's like that big brother you're grateful for… I know you were just making him feel good since h-he couldn't drink like we did…" Dipper said as he stood up. Wendy was impressed that the teen was able to string together a somewhat coherent sentence after consuming by her count six beers. "W-We should put this fire out…" Dipper said as he grabbed a metal bucket filled with water. "Good idea dude… I-I'm gonna put these chairs up…" the redhead said as she dragged the two camp chairs towards the storage shed behind the Mystery Shack. Wendy returned a few minutes later to find Dipper standing next to the steaming remnants of the once roaring fire. "It's out… Let's get to bed…" the seventeen year old said as he grasped the hand of his girlfriend and the pair wobbled back towards the front door of the Mystery Shack.

Dipper and Wendy made their way back inside the wooden building; trying their best to not wake the rest of the home's residents. After grabbing the wood paneled wall of a hallway, Dipper opened the door to his room. He flicked on the light switch, which much to his relief, revealed that he had not stammered into someone else's bedroom. The brown haired teen had barely closed the door when he turned around to find his girlfriend already disrobing. Her green flannel shirt was thrown on the floor with reckless abandon and she pulled her grey cotton t-shirt over her head, revealing her black and red flannel print bra. Dipper neatly removed his red flannel shirt and walked over to his closet, placing it on a hanger. Wendy, meanwhile, had removed her sneakers and unfastened her brown leather belt. The drunk woman struggled with the button on her jeans, before finally undoing it. Dipper pulled his shirt over his head and folded it neatly, before placing it in his suitcase. The auburn haired woman managed to pull her tight jeans down her slender legs before sitting on the edge of the bed to pull them off of her. Next, she removed her bra, which she added to the pile of clothes on the hardwood floor. Dipper had changed into his blue sleep pants and was about ready for bed when he was suddenly interrupted. "H-Hey Dip… Wh-Where's that shirt you gave me last night?" the freckled woman asked as she stood in the middle of his room, adorned only in a pair of red and black flannel print panties. "I… Uh… It's over here!" the teenager said as he tried not to stare at his girlfriend's breasts. While he had seen them before, the seventeen year old was still not used to the sight of the woman he had crushed on for years nearly nude in front of him.

"Dude… Dude… You can look… I mean… I am your girlfriend…" the woman reassured him. "I know… It's just that I'm still getting used to it and all… You're beautiful by the way…" the teen said as he handed her the white cotton shirt. "Thanks Dip…" the young woman said as she pulled the somewhat large shirt over her breasts. The hem of the shirt just barely covered her bottom, which turned the brown haired teenager on. Dipper walked over to the nightstand and took his pills before crawling into the large bed. Wendy soon followed and rolled over to face her boyfriend. "I love you so much Mason Pines…" the scarlet haired woman said before she pecked him on the lips. "I love you too Wendy Corduroy…" Dipper replied before letting out a yawn. Wendy rolled back over and turned off the light on the side table before drifting off to sleep herself.

Author's note: One more chapter left to go before I begin to do the one-shots. I'd really like to thank everyone who read this story and followed along. I know I say this all the time, but the feedback and reviews that you have left for me are just awesome and I hope you like this chapter!

My Playlist while writing this chapter:

Thousand Foot Crutch – "This Untraveled Road

Stone Sour – "Hesitate"

Skillet – "Feel Invincible"

Asking Alexandra – "The Death Of Me"

While She Sleeps / Oli Sykes – "Silence Speaks"

Sundara Karma – "She Said"

MGMT – "Time To Pretend"

Ron Gallo – "Young Lady You're Scaring Me"

The Heavy – "Miss California"

The Interrupters – "She Got Arrested"

M83 – "Graveyard Girl"

The New Pornographers – "High Ticket Attractions"

Robert DeLong – "Long Way Down"


	21. Chapter 21

Echoes Of A Nearby Future

Chapter Twenty One

Dipper stirred as his alarm shattered the previously silent Monday morning. Beside the seventeen year old lay Wendy, who let out a large snore at the loud noise emanating from the table beside her. The brown haired boy stifled a laugh as he gently reached over the still resting redhead and grabbed his phone. Pressing the screen, the young man silenced the annoyance and the room once again fell still. Placing his hand on her t-shirt clad shoulder, the teen apprehensively rocked his girlfriend back and forth gently before speaking. "Hey sleepyhead… Wake up Wendy…" Dipper said in a soft and playful voice as he tried not to startle the still traumatized woman. His efforts were met with indifference as the scarlet haired twenty year old continued to rest. "Wendy… Time to wake up…" the teenager said in a slightly louder voice, causing the ginger woman to stir a bit. "Wendy… Hey… It's time to wake up… We have to get ready to say goodbye to Stan and Ford…" Dipper continued.

"Ughhh…" Wendy groaned as her eyelids opened and the bright light of the early morning sun cast into her emerald eyes. A small smile formed on her face as she realized that for the second time in a week she had woken up in Dipper Pine's bed. "Morning Dip…" the woman said as she let out a long and lazy yawn. "Morning Wen…" the teenage boy replied. Dipper pushed himself towards the end of the bed and placed his feet down on the hardwood floor beneath him. Wendy took in the sight of her boyfriend's toned body as he sat on the edge of the queen sized mattress. The young woman scooted down to the end of the bed and joined the seventeen year old. "What time is it dude?" the scarlet haired woman said as yet another yawn escaped her. "It's seven fifteen…" Dipper answered as he too yawned. "It's too damn early to be up… Especially after last night…" Wendy commented as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. "I know… If the Grunkles weren't leaving I wouldn't have even bothered to set an alarm…" the brown haired boy said as he wrapped his arm around the young woman seated next to him.

"I feel like I got hit by a truck…" the redhead said as she copied her boyfriend and wrapped a slender arm around his shoulders. "On three?" asked Dipper. "On three…" Wendy replied. "One… Two… Three!" the pair said in unison as they arose from the edge of the bed. Dipper walked over to his nightstand to retrieve his anti-anxiety medication. After placing a pill in his mouth and chasing it with a gulp of flat water, the brown haired teen turned around to catch his girlfriend stretching, with her arms raised above her head. The move caused the hemline of her shirt to playfully rise, revealing her red and black flannel patterned panties. The teen boy liked what he saw and approached the young woman as she let out a yawn. "I can't believe I'm gonna do this!" Dipper thought to himself as he raised his hand and flattened it out, before moving it towards the exposed backside of Wendy. With a light tap, his hand made contact with the soft flesh of his girlfriend's posterior, causing her to yelp a bit and jump forward.

Dipper immediately regretted the decision, as he was still unsure of what the young woman was and wasn't comfortable with. He hid the offending hand behind his back as Wendy turned around to face him. A light blush adorned the freckled cheeks of his girlfriend. "Mason Alexander Pines… Did you just smack my ass?!" the woman asked. "I-I… Uh… I… Um…" the embarrassed teen stammered as Wendy fought the urge to bust out laughing. She loved to get the brown haired teen flustered, even when they had just been friends. This would be a chance for payback after scaring her with the whole car incident yesterday, she decided. "And just what made you think that you could do that?!" the redhead said in an offended voice as she continued the ruse. "Wendy… I-I… I'm so sorry… I don't know what I was thinking… I guess…" the young man continued as a look of fear came over his face. "I'm not just something that you can do whatever you please with…" the young woman said as she stepped up to the slightly shorter teen. "I just… You were so… So…" Dipper continued as he tried to explain himself to the clearly agitated woman. "I was so what?! Hot? Cute?... I-Is that what you were going to say?" the redhead said as she placed both hands on the shoulders of the confused teen boy. "Y-Yea-" was all he was able to get out before Wendy pressed her body up against him and placed her mouth mere inches from his ear. "I know that… But if you're gonna smack my ass, put some force behind it… I can take it…" the auburn haired woman said as she removed her right hand and placed it behind her. Dipper looked on as his girlfriend proceeded to slap her backside as hard as she could, causing her to whimper a bit in pain.

"Oh… I-I thought that you didn't like it or someth-" was all he could say before being interrupted by a soft set of lips. "There… Now we're even for the whole car thing…" Wendy said as she began to laugh. A confused look formed on the face of Dipper. "I was just fuckin' with you dude… I-I actually liked it… I think it took a lot of bravery on your part to do it…" the young officer said as she slid off her t-shirt, leaving her clad in just her panties. "What time do we have to be ready by?" asked the young woman as she grabbed Dipper's hand and led him back towards the bed. "I'd say nine or so, because their bus leaves at eleven, and we only have two bathrooms in here…" Dipper explained. "Great! That gives us plenty of time!" an excited Wendy said as she crawled back onto the mattress. The pair began to make out as clothes and inhibitions were shed between the two lovers. The pair tried to remain as quiet as they could, as the last thing they wanted was to create awkwardness on the Grunkle's last day in town.

About an hour later, Dipper rolled over in the bed and kissed the still glowing Wendy. "That was great…" the teenager said in a worn out voice. "I know, right?" the redhead replied. "I'll let you grab a shower first… I only take a few minutes and the hot water tends to run out pretty fast…" the young man said to his girlfriend. "Thanks man… I've gotta say… If I knew how much cutting my hair would speed up my whole bathroom routine in the morning, I would have done it a while ago…" the scarlet haired woman said with a laugh. "Not to mention how great it looks!" the brown haired teen added. "Okay, now you're just kissing my ass…" Wendy teased as she stood up from the bed. Dipper couldn't resist and pecked his lips on the porcelain backside of his girlfriend. "Nah… Now I'm kissing your ass!" the teen teased as they both let out a laugh. "On that note… I'm gonna go jump in the shower…" Wendy said she threw on the bright pink robe she borrowed from Mabel the last time she spent the night in the Mystery Shack.

About fifteen minutes later, the redhead returned and removed her robe, revealing her freshly cleaned body to Dipper. "Your turn…" the young woman said as she gathered her clothes off of the hardwood floor. Dipper, who was in just his sleep pants, opened the door and walked down to the bathroom at the end of the hall. After taking a shower, the teenager returned to the room, where he found Wendy already dressed. "Geez… And I was afraid I'd take long in the shower…" the redhead teased. "Hey… I happen to find showers very relaxing" the teen retorted. After throwing on a pair of slim blue jeans, an orange t-shirt and a black zip up hoodie, he was ready to grab some breakfast. The couple walked hand in hand to the kitchen, where much to their surprise, no meal awaited them. Soos emerged from the living room to greet the couple. "Morning dawgs! We're gonna go out for breakfast today, so get ready to head out in a few" Mr. Mystery informed the couple before leaving the room. "I bet we're going to Greasy's… I hope it isn't too awkward after what happened…" Wendy apprehensively said as she looked to her boyfriend. "It'll be alright… We're with family…" Dipper reassured the nervous woman. After having a short family meeting in the living room about who would ride with whom, the group exited the Mystery Shack and made their way to the parking lot. Soos, Melody, Stan and Ford loaded up into a dark blue Nassin TerraX sport utility that Melody bought after permanently moving to Gravity Falls nearly five years ago. Dipper and Wendy got into the seventeen year old's black 1968 Fjord Stallion Fastback. Melody's car led the way as the rumbling muscle car followed closely behind. After about a twenty minute ride, the two vehicles arrived at Greasy's Diner, just as Wendy anticipated.

After stretching a bit, the group made their way into the restaurant that resided on the edge of town near the bus station. "Morning guys!" a peppy voice shouted. "Yeesh… Somebody should switch to decaf…" Stan muttered under his breath. A bubbly blonde appeared from behind the counter, clad in her sky blue and white uniform. "Hey Alexa!" Wendy cheerfully greeted the petite woman. "Hey! How are you doing today hun?" the waitress asked as she looked at the deep purple bruise that adorned the otherwise pale and freckled skin of the taller redhead's face. "I'm doing a lot better… Thanks again for being so awesome yesterday" Wendy said. "No problem! Glad I could help!... You guys follow me!" the energetic young woman said as she grabbed six menus and led the group to a large round booth at the end of the diner. After taking their seats, the waitress asked what drinks they would like. A round of coffee was ordered and Alexa soon disappeared behind the counter.

The rest of the breakfast was relatively uneventful, as the hungry congregation of friends and family dug into the final meal they would share together for a long time. Alexa would occasionally come by to ask if anyone needed a refill on their coffee, but for the most part it was a rather peaceful dining experience for the soon to be separated group. They took breaks from the meal to share stories from years gone by, as well as observations about other patrons. The end of the meal fast approached as Melody began to feel anxious. The Grunkle's bus was scheduled to leave in twenty minutes, and yet their check had yet to arrive. She flagged down Alexa, in hopes of leaving the diner in short order.

"Excuse me! Miss!" Melody shouted to the young waitress who was a few booths away collecting a tip. The blue dress clad woman sprinted over to the rather large round table to see what was the matter. "Yes Ma'am, what can I help you with?" the blonde asked. "I was just wondering if we can get the check… I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but we really have to be on our way…" Melody informed the bubbly young woman. "Oh… Don't worry about that… It's been taken care of, so you can leave whenever you want…" Alexa replied. "Oh… Well… Thanks!" Melody said in a grateful matter. "Alexa… You really didn't have to… I mean, I know I can't expect you pay for my meal every time I come in here…" Wendy said to the waitress. "Oh… I think you're mistaken… This time it wasn't me… It was my grandma!" the blonde replied. "Well… Tell her thanks! It means a lot!" Wendy instructed the young woman. "I'll let you tell her yourselves… Hey Grandma Susan! They're ready to go!" the petite employee shouted across the crowded restaurant.

Lazy Susan made her way over to the round booth at the far end of the restaurant. "Thanks Alexa! Table nine needs some ketchup…" the owner of the diner informed her granddaughter. "On it!" she shouted before taking off as if she were in a race of some sort. "Alexa's such a sweetheart, isn't she?" the older woman asked her friends. The group nodded in agreement. "It'll be a shame when she leaves at the end of the summer… But she's working here to save up some money to go to the Olympics for gymnastics, so I'll have plenty of time to spend with her until then… Speaking of which… I understand that you guys are leaving today…" the grey haired woman said as she pointed to Stan and Ford. "Well… I just wanted to say once again that I'm sorry for your loss… And also that I wish you safe travels to wherever it is you're going after this…" she continued. "Thanks Susan…" Ford said he shot her a smile. "Yeah… Thanks for the free grub… I-I get that anytime I happen to drop by… Right?" Stan asked before being elbowed in the ribs by Wendy. "I-I mean… Thank you for the well wishes and the great gift of this meal…" the older man quickly corrected himself. "You're welcome!" Susan said before walking away to attend to a quickly growing fire in the kitchen.

The group left the diner and headed across the street to the bus station. Ford and Stan each carried their single suitcases, which they had packed in a hurry when the news of their great-niece's passing reached them nearly three weeks ago. The bus rumbled up to the platform as the group shared one final hug. "We'll call you when we get to New Jersey!" Ford reassured everyone before stepping onto the bus. "One second!" Stan shouted up the staircase towards the driver. The older man walked over to Dipper and Wendy, bringing them aside from the rest of the gathering. "I love you guys… I'm going to miss the heck outta ya, but I know that you guys have this…" the grey haired man said with misty eyes as he wrapped both young people into a tight embrace. After breaking the embrace Dipper extended his hand. Stan quickly took it and firmly shook. After the reassuring handshake, the grizzled old man leaned in and kissed the cheek of Wendy, much to her surprise. "You kids take care..." Stan said as he entered the doorframe of the bus. The motor coach began to move with Stanley still hanging onto the doorframe; waving goodbye to the ones he loved most as if he were some sort of presidential candidate departing a campaign rally. Tears formed in the eyes of Melody, Soos, Dipper and Wendy as the bus drove further and further away towards the horizon.

After taking a minute to collect themselves, the two remaining couples crossed the street and got back into their cars. The ride back was silent in both vehicles, as the occupants wondered what lay ahead for the rest of the summer. Dipper would soon move out of the Mystery Shack to join Wendy in her apartment downtown. While Soos and Melody were a bit saddened at the fact that they would spend the summer by themselves, Dipper and Wendy reassured them that they would be frequent guests of the home and would even have a few sleepovers. The third week of the fateful summer drew to a close as uncertainty loomed over the quartet of friends, as well as the entire town of Gravity Falls, Oregon.

Author's note: Well… Here it is. What a ride. Thank you for all the views, reviews and follows. This was a fun story to write and your encouragement helped me immensely. I'm going to miss telling this particular story, but it had to end sometime. I may take a little time off to figure out where I want the story to go next, but rest assured that I will return soon to continue the "Shooting Star Falls" universe. My first story after this will be the party Tambry promised to hold once Dipper and Wendy were in better places. She decides to throw it on the Fourth of July… What could go wrong with some underage drinking, raging hormones and fireworks? Most of what I'll be doing will be one-shots in this universe while I flesh out my next story, which will take place fifteen years in the future from the end of this story. Any guesses on what may be in store for our beloved heroes?

Once again, my soundtrack while writing this chapter. I'm going to try to explain where certain songs inspired me to write a certain way, as well as where I'd have them play if this were a TV show or movie.

Weezer – "Feels Like Summer" I would have this playing at the beginning of the chapter. Look up the lyrics… I promise that you'll be as amazed as I was with how well it syncs up to the story. Even the melody in parts seems to flow with the original Gravity Falls Theme.

The Naked And Famous – "Higher"

–"High Enough"

888 – "Older Now"

Mona – "In the Middle"

alt-J " - In Cold Blood"

Best Coast – "Something In The Way"

Bastille – "Blame"

Beck – "Wow"

Lorde – "Green Light"

Angel Olsen – "Give It Up"

Royal Blood – "Lights Out"

CHVRCHES/Hayley Williams – "Bury It"

Joywave – "Now"

All That Remains – "The Waiting One"

Pop Evil – "Deal With The Devil" (Just something I thought fit Bill Cipher)

Blink 182 – "Home Is Such A Lonely Place" I imagine this playing at the end of the chapter as a shot starts out at the shade covered tombstones of Mabel and Pacifica, before panning further and further out from Gravity Falls; a pair of shooting stars streaking across an otherwise blue sky.


End file.
